Bittersweet
by xYuriChan
Summary: They say that when you get bullied its because the bully has a crush on you. For Ventus that was truer then he had ever wanted it to be. VanVen!
1. How to Begin a Story

**How to Begin a Story**

Now there were a million different ways to begin this story. We could begin with the end and go back to recount what happened to bring them to that point. We could begin where the relationship started and recount anything else in a small blurb if we have to. We could even begin by asking where we should begin the story. But I think we should begin when they first met. It'd make much more sense if I did that don't you think?

**Kindergarten. Age: 5-6**

The sound of ripping paper filled his ears and Ventus looked over to find one of the kids from his class tearing up the blank piece of paper that Aerith had provided them with to draw on. Even if all anyone drew were scribbles and stick figures.

"What?" The boy asked looking up at the blonde haired blue eyed kid.

Ventus stared at him for a moment. The kid had black hair in spikes all over his head and golden eyes that seemed to shine brightly in an almost creepy way. Like a demon really, which was something he would end up acknowledging him as one in the future. "Why'd you tear up the paper?" Ven asked.

"Cause I got bored." He answered before smiling mischievously at him. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Huh? Um…I'm Ventus…" He replied slightly nervous. This kid was weird, and he kinda scared him too.

"Ventus huh? I'm Vanitas." The black haired boy announced leaning over to look at the paper Ven had finding that he hadn't drawn anything yet. "What are you going to draw?"

"I don't know yet." Ven answered returning his attention to the paper before him.

Just then Vanitas reached over and took the paper from Ven holding it up.

"H-hey! I need that!"

"So?" Vanitas asked beginning to slowly rip the page in half while the blonde boy stared at him in utter disbelief. He continued to rip the page until it was just a mess of tiny squares, smiling evilly as all Ven could do was stare. "Sorry bout that Ventus, I told you I was bored." He added lifting them over the blonde's head and suddenly tossing them up in the air so that they would fall slowly down on and around the boy.

The black haired boy got up from his seat then walking straight out of the classroom with a smirk on his face all while he was sure Ventus sat there in shock not even caring that his homework was now shredded and scattered around his person. Some scraps even landing in his hair.

But that of course would not be the end of it. The two spent years together. Having to go to a private school, you didn't switch classes; you stayed with the same people in your class all the way until you went to high school. And this school went from Kindergarten all the way to Eighth grade. So of course, they remained in the same class for a long time.

**Third Grade. Age: 8-9**

"Oi, Ven." The familiar voice called making Ventus jump a little. He hadn't expected to be called like that, nor had he expected to be called by him. Seriously every time Vanitas spoke Ven got nervous, and it magnified whenever he spoke to Ven personally. This kid was seriously bad news.

"Um…h-hi Vanitas…" He greeted shyly taking a step back and hitting his back on the wall where he was previously hanging up his book bag in peace.

"You know what you should do?" He asked suddenly stopping merely a foot from him.

"U-um…I…"

"You should buy me lunch today." Vanitas finished.

Ventus made a face at that. "I don't have any money." He replied quietly looking down.

The black haired boy smiled at that before putting his hand on the smaller kids shoulder. "Really now?" He asked holding the blonde still while he reached into the kids pocket pulling out a five. He of course didn't have to hold the poor kid still Ven had frozen in fear anyway, but oh well. "I thought you said you didn't have any money."

"That's for my lunch…I'm supposed to give back the change…" He replied quietly.

Vanitas shrugged then releasing him. "Guess you better come up with $4.50 before you go home then huh? I'll be keeping the change as compensation for you lying to me." He walked away then leaving him still slightly frozen in fear. He borrowed that money from Cloud too…and he had a feeling Cloud wouldn't be too happy that his money got stolen by some bully. But there was nothing he could do about it.

He did explain what had happened to Cloud the moment he got home and his older brother had made a face about it. "You're being bullied at school?"

Ven nodded about ready to cry over it. Vanitas really did scare him sometimes.

"Why didn't you tell the teacher?" Naminé (his older sister) asked bending down to his level.

"I can't do that…he just gets worse if I get him in trouble." He answered.

"Just defend yourself." Roxas commented from where he was practicing his reading. Not that he needed to practice everyone was always saying how smart Roxas was, which was kinda pathetic since he was a year younger then Ven and he was the one who ended up helping Ven with his homework. "That's what I do when people pick on me."

"People pick on you too?" Naminé asked.

"Not anymore." Roxas replied.

"How am I supposed to defend myself?" Ventus asked. "He's bigger than me, and he's stronger, and he's friends with all the mean kids. What if he had then help him beat me up…"

"Ventus, you really do need to tell someone. Why not just go straight to the principal and ask him not to say anything about who told on him." His sister suggested.

"No, cause he'll figure it out." He replied.

"Okay, how about you just ignore him." Cloud suggested making him look at him. "If you don't respond or give him what he wants, then he'll eventually get bored with you and leave you alone."

"Really?" Ven asked.

"Yea, that's how I got Zack to stop teasing me." Cloud replied with a small smile.

"Is that how?" Zack asked flopping down next to Cloud on the couch giving him a half-scowl half-smile. "I'll keep that in mind next time."

Naminé rolled her eyes and stood up completely to leave the room. "Boys…" She sighed as she left.

**Sixth Grade. Age: 11-12**

Ventus was completely engrossed in taking the notes for his science class, not really expecting a note to be passed to him from the person in the seat next to him. Three years of ignoring Vanitas hadn't done much. Van had indeed lightened up on him, but he never left him alone completely. Like now for instance. Their science teacher had seated Vanitas right next to him and he was kind of a bitchy teacher so no one would get to complain if they wanted a change of seats.

Ven sighed a little finishing up the page of notes before even bothering to pick up the note that Vanitas had just passed him. The black haired male smirking all the while as Ven opened it. He hadn't really been expecting what he saw on the note. He figured it'd be some rude comment about how he was a dork using some slightly harsh words. Or maybe something along the lines of telling him that his younger brother was smarter than him, which he already knew thank you. Roxas still in a grade lower then him, did still help him with him homework a lot. Especially the math part, because he really sucked at it.

But no, none of the things that he had expected to see were on that piece of paper instead what was written…or rather drawn on the paper that had made him flush a deep red from complete embarrassment was a drawing of himself in the nude, bent over and crying while Vanitas was kneeling behind him also nude with his…yea…I bet you could guess the rest of it. He turned a glare straight toward Vanitas but the black haired male just continued to smile and pointed to some words that were written at the bottom of the page.

At that point Ventus could have most defiantly just crumpled up the piece of paper and thrown it away before turning his attention back to the science notes he was now missing. But again, no, Ven did read what was written at the bottom of the page.

"_They never explained how two guys would have sex when we were in Sex Ed, so I looked it up for you. I figured you'd need to know, since gay runs in your family."_

Ventus crumpled the paper up then and stood up throwing the piece of paper in Vanitas' face before running out of the classroom pissed. He had no right to bring his family into this. Yea, Cloud was dating Zack. And sure, Roxas had also come out even though he was younger than Ventus, but that bastard not only called him gay, but he had made an indirect stab at his brothers this time, and he didn't like that at all. It pissed him off. That bastard. He hated him.

**Eighth Grade. Age: 13-14**

"Hey Ventus!" Vanitas called slipping his arm around the blonde who in turn turned a glare at him. He ignored it. "It's the last day of school here, what do ya say you and me celebrate."

"I say, fuck off." Ventus replied smacking his hand away. "I have better things to do and to be honest, I think I'd rather kill myself then do anything with you."

"Man, you've gotten mean over the years." He commented. "I was offering to be nice y'know. Maybe make friends. A truce, of sorts."

"How about this." The blonde began stopping his walk and turning too fully towards him. "You take your truce, and shove it up your ass."

Vanitas smiled at that. "No, you see, I don't get things shoved up my ass. You do."

"I'm not gay, and even if I was, there is nothing wrong with being gay, so shut the fuck up."

"I never said that there was anything wrong with being gay did I? I just called you an uke is all." The black haired male replied with a smirk.

He was confussed for a moment not knowing what that had meant and Vanitas seemed to catch on.

"You don't know what an _uke _is?" He asked.

"Does it really matter if I do or not?" Ventus asked letting his voice sound unamused.

"Of, course it matters." Vanitas answered with another smirk. "Because in a couple years when you give up this denial that you're in, you'll have wished you had known what an uke is."

"I'm not gay, and I'm not in denial." Ventus replied glaring harshly at him and catching sight of Roxas down the hallway with some friends. "Now, fuck off and leave me alone." He added before walking off and over to his little brother using him as an excuse to get away.

"We'll see about that." Vanitas said to himself before he walked outside in search of his cousin.

* * *

**Ventus: Oh, now I'm a victim of bullying… T.T**

**Vanitas: Don't worry Ven, I'm sure this all ends in me raping you.**

**Ventus: But…I don't want it to end like that.**

**Sora: This is interesting, but Sensei you are missing something very vital.**

**NearKunn: Like what?**

**Sora: Me. :3**

**NearKunn: AW! X3 *pets him* don't worry puppy, you'll get introduced soon!**

**Riku: Look, just review so she can get on with writing the next chapter. By the way, I'm going to be pissed if I'm not in this.**

**NearKunn: I do like reviews, and I never seem to get many/any on the first chapter, so I'm hoping to get at least a couple. *puppy dog eyes***

**Vanitas: Look at that face and try to not review. I fucking dare you.**

**NearKunn: NO VANI! SOME PEOPLE LIKE A CHALLENGE!**

**Vanitas: Fine, every time we get a review, Axel and Roxas have sex. If you want to contribute to the AkuRoku sex life, then please leave a comment.**

**NearKunn: Well that was creative…**


	2. Hating High School

Hating High School

Well…

Now that you have a sense of, why Ventus and Vanitas did not get along, you should understand why freshman year in high school (despite the fact that he **was** a lowly freshman) had been the best year of his life. This was because Vanitas had gone to a different high school that year. Ven wasn't bullied, no one even knew his little brother there so he wasn't compared, and overall there were no black haired males with golden eyes always watching and ready to strike at him.

You should also understand why Ventus had hated sophomore year by only the first day.

**Sophomore Year. Age: 15-16**

"Roxas, will you be my freshman?" Ven asked his brother as they walked into the school.

His little brother who at this point looked almost exactly like him made a face. "Uh…no."

"Will you be my freshman Roxie?" Sora asked. Sora has been a friend of Roxas' sense they were really young. So of course at this point Ventus knew Sora basically like a little brother as well.

Although, it was strange really. Ven would notice how similar Sora looked to Vanitas, but Sora was a much better guy. He had brown hair and bright blue eyes not the least bit threatening. He was naïve at times, but he was bold and could most defiantly hold his own when being picked on. And he was just an over all a good kid.

"Sora, you're a freshman too." Roxas pointed out.

"So?" He asked.

"Hey Ven!" Aqua called waving him over to where she and Terra were. He smiled at her before telling his brother and Sora that he'd see them later before heading over to her.

Aqua was a junior this year and probably the nicest one you'd ever meet. She was just the kind of girl who could belong to any group she wanted to belong to and still not be a victim of the usual clique. She was also very smart and beautiful probably the most popular girl in the school too. But she didn't really play any of the sports or anything she was a part of a much different club. The gardening club. The girl had gone completely green, she even rode her bike to school and when the weather wouldn't allow it, she carpooled.

Then there was Terra, he was Aqua's boyfriend and a senior. It amazed Ven that either of them had even bothered to be friends with him. But Terra had made Ventus his freshman sometime last year and therefore since he was indeed the King of the school, no one would mess with Ven like they would other freshmen. The guy was supper strong and Captain of the wrestling team. And even outside the school, he had taken self-defense classes and so everyone knew he was also a black belt. All in all, he could probably kick your ass, and if he didn't do it himself, he could get his friends to. It was a good idea to stay on his good side.

"Was that your brother?" Aqua asked looking back over at Roxas who was still talking to Sora and a few guys that he recognized. A couple of them were from Ven's class, the others he vaguely knew were in the upper grades. He figured that if they got into a fight though or if those guys were teasing them, Roxas and Sora could defend themselves. He once saw his little brother once make a grown man cry with just his words, it was kinda frightening actually. And Sora himself had a dark side to him that has scared many a people away. Then again, it looked like they were getting along so he returned his attention to his friends.

"Yea." He answered.

"He looks just like you." She commented. "It's kinda weird."

He laughed at that. "Yea, but our personalities are way different. He's shyer for one, and he's also a lot meaner."

She giggled. "So have you gotten your schedule yet?"

"Nope, I was about to head over to get it though."

"Okay, well then we'll see you at lunch hopefully." She replied crossing her fingers in hope that they had the same lunch. After all, juniors and sophomores did tend to have very different classes, so that might be the only time they see each other. And that was only if they had the same lunch shift.

"Yea, later Terra." He added waving to them as he headed to the cafeteria where they were handing out schedules.

He told the girl his name and she shifted through the papers looking for it. "Um…sorry, it's not here." She commented making a confused face. "They might've had some trouble so I'd go to the office and ask about it there…" She advised giving him a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Yea, thanks." He replied turning around to go to the office. It wasn't like the school to mess up on something like this though so…

"Long time no see Venny." The voice said catching his attention. It grated on his nerves he seriously almost felt like hitting something. "I got you your schedule." He added lifting up the sheet of paper with his classes listed on it.

"Keep it; I'll just get a new one." He replied suddenly hating everything. "What are you doing here?"

"Me?" He asked pretending to be offended by the blonde's tone. But he was smirking that smirk that Ven had come to hate. "I transferred in with my cousin."

Ven have glared at him before starting to walk away.

"Aw, c'mon Ven. I'm only trying to be nice." Vanitas commented catching up to him and cutting the blonde off before offering him the schedule. "You could say I'm a changed man? Besides, I had to do some serious flirting to get your schedule from that girl. I think she thinks I like her know too." He added looking over the blonde to her and waving a little.

Ven snatched the paper away from the ebony haired male checking to make sure it actually was his or if Vanitas had decided to fuck with him.

"You don't trust me?" He asked with a smirk.

"Do I have a reason to?" He retorted giving him a glare.

"No, 'thank you?'"

"'Thank you.'"

"It was nothing." Vanitas replied obviously showing his egotistic attitude. One of the many reasons Ventus hated him.

Ven rolled his eyes pushing past him to leave. "You're a prick y'know that." He commented as he walked away from there and him.

His smile only widened at the comment. "Why, yes I do."

-XxX-

"Ven!" Terra called getting the blonde's attention with a french fry that he had to eventually throw at him. "Are you paying attention at all?"

"Um…no." Ven replied looking at his friends.

"What's up?" Aqua asked giving him a look. "You keep glaring over at something."

He sighed looking back over at the table Vanitas was sitting at. One that both Roxas and Sora were sitting at. He really hoped that Van wasn't going to start in on Roxas too. Although if he did, he wasn't sure if he should feel more sorry for Roxas or for Vanitas. "It's nothing." He said finally turning back to them with a smile. "What were you saying?"

-XxX-

"Congrats Vani, you have officially fucked up your chances." Sora commented patting his cousin on the back. "How the hell did you expect to get into someone's pants by being a dick towards them?"

Vanitas gave him a look. "You're speaking as if I've given up? Like hell I have. Do you know how much fun I have torturing that kid? I get a thrill every time he gives me that scared look."

Roxas reached over punching Vanitas in the arm. "I'm going to do that every time you talk about my brother like that just so you know."

"Oh like you're a saint, Mr. Straight A, I know what you did last summer." The black haired male retorted.

"I never said I was proud." He replied.

Sora rolled his eyes and decided to get their attentions back on him. "Look, Van I'm kinda lost as to your exact…plan here. I still don't get how you're going to get Ventus to sleep with you by being a complete douche?"

"You two just don't get it." Vanitas commented shaking his head in shame. "You'd think at least one of you would be able to figure it out. Look, the whole point of being a dick to him is to build up the sexual tension that he is completely unaware of. Eventually the kid is going to snap, and I'll be there in his hour of need to take advantage of him."

Roxas punched him in the arm again. "Whoops, my arm slipped…"

"I would punch you back, but I don't want to kill you." He replied with a glare.

"I think your plan is missing something." Riku mentioned suddenly deciding to join the conversation.

Vanitas gave him a look. "And what is that?"

"How exactly are you going to be there at the exact moment he snaps? I am kinda curious about that." He asked.

In response the black haired male looked at Roxas.

"You think I'm going to help you rape my brother?" The blonde asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's not rape. Its just…slightly unwanted sex. But I assure you, he'll be very willing when we do it." _Punch_. "Ow!"

"No." Roxas replied.

Vanitas narrowed his eyes at him. "Fine, I'll just tell Namine about what happened at summer camp. And your eighth grade class trip. I bet she'd love to know that he darling dear little brother who is just an angel…"

"Okay! Fine, I'll do it, just stop talking!"

With that the ebony haired male leaned smugly back in his seat. He had all the pieces right where he wanted them.

**Ventus: Do we really have to do this again?**

**NearKunn: Yes! Now….**

**Riku: What the fuck? Why do I only have two lines?**

**Sora: Riku! The story isn't about you!**

**Riku: So?**

**NearKunn: Guys! Focus! Anywho…as stated above this really is the most reviews I've ever had on a story *mini party time* And to celebrate this the tenth reviewer, who is someone I know from school and a very close friend in real life, not all my friends are imaginary (although most are)…Kuro-Kasai-Tenchi, also known as Tsuki!**

**Tsuki: *waves happily* Hi! I'm uber happy to be here! I'm also on a caffeine high. SO! Yeah…I'm a pyro! o.e**

**NearKunn: Oh yea, the coffee.**

**Axel: *walks in***

**Tsuki: *stare***

**Axel: *blink***

**Tsuki: *cackles evilly and glomps him***

**Axel: Oh, god not another fangirl!**

**Aqua: Look, for our sanity, please just start reviewing…**

**Larxene: Seriously.**

**NearKunn: *whispers* It's still here…**

**Tsuki: *whispers* Let's burn it…**

**Larxene: I can hear you!**


	3. Trouble Follows

Trouble Follows

**NearKunn: Because I know you'll be one of the first people to read this, I hope Tsuki-chan that you can get out of your funk soon because we all love you! Especially ME and my imaginary friends! And that's why I'm England and you're France Tsuki-chan ;) LOVE YOU! XD**

* * *

Now it was true that at first Ventus had thought that it really wasn't that bad. His first interaction with Vanitas was his only…well, annoying one. Note that I said at first. That changed as the year continued on though. He was more irritating then ever before by the end of the first month. He'd gotten bold enough to start doing the little things. Y'know the little things that tick you off but aren't really enough to justify completely flipping your lid.

Things like, sitting next to or around Ventus on purpose even though he knew he wasn't wanted around. Then listening in on every conversation Ven had that he could hear and coughing whenever somebody said something he didn't agree with or didn't like. But never joining the conversation, just being unnecessarily annoying. That he could deal with. That he could ignore. He's had years of practice after all, Vanitas did the same things in grade school only about ten times worse.

What got to him was the day they were being assigned groups for a collaborative painting in art class Vanitas had stolen Kairi's usual seat beside him forcing the red-haired girl to have to sit in a completely different row. So now, Ventus was not only surrounded by people he didn't really know too well (or gave a fuck about in Vanitas case) but their wonderful teacher (fuck you too Marluxia) had announced that the four people in each row would be the groups. So here was Ven's group for this little project.

Demyx Summer. A senior this year, and on his third try at passing this class. Really if he spent a quarter the amount of time he spent at band practice on his studies, he might not completely fail his senior year. And failing seemed to be what he was heading for so far.

Demyx also had blonde hair that was actually cut into a mullet and it amazed everyone he met that he actually could make the stupid hairstyle work on him. His eyes were a shade of green which if anything resembled the ocean. Really you could connect almost anything about him to water. The guy loved it.

Riku Dennison. A sophomore who seemed to be in the same failing boat as Demyx. But not because he was stupid, or that he spent all his time doing other things. He was failing because he didn't care. He lacked motivation. But he wasn't lazy or anything. He knew that much. Riku hung out with Sora and Roxas a lot so he noticed when they would be outside playing sports the silver haired male pretty much kicked ass. Although Ven had never spent any quality time with the guy he figured he couldn't be too bad if Sora hung around him.

Riku's appearance wasn't necessarily one you'd call normal either. His hair reached his shoulders and it was also a smooth silvery color. With the way it moved whenever he did you could tell he also had pretty fine hair compared to most other people. His eyes were similar to that of Demyx's only a little more noticeable. Especially the green in his eyes.

Then there was of course himself. And Vanitas. Fucking Vanitas. And he looked so proud of himself too, the bastard. I don't think we need to go over again what Ven's problem with him was. Although it actually made him worry that Vanitas himself had set this up just to torture him. He didn't really put it past him. And he figured Mr. Flowers wasn't going to let him switch groups. He pms'd like that. Fuck the damn guy might as well have been a girl. He was more feminine then their P.E. teacher Larxene, who was indeed a girl. And loved to make sure everyone knew it too. He guessed she probably got mistaken for a guy a lot.

"I really hate this class." Riku mentioned slumping down in his chair after he and Demyx had moved to Van and Ven's table to sit across from the two.

"What are we doing?" Demyx asked playing with a few stretched out rubber bands as if they were a guitar on his fingers.

"A collab." The silver haired male replied sounding just as bored as he looked. "Basically, we all create one painting together."

"I know what a collab is." Demyx deadpanned looked up from his handmade guitar. "I meant what are we doing for the project."

"I don't care." Riku shrugged.

Ventus resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He didn't really know these guys but he figured that they'd probably blow the whole project off anyway and he'd be left to do it all alone. Not that he cared really, but his grade was seriously going to drop if he didn't get at least one of them to help him.

"How about an imitation of a stain glass?" Vanitas offered.

Wait…what? Was he helping? Was Vanitas actually going to do something about this project? I mean don't get him wrong, he was somewhat relieved that he wasn't the only one on task after all, but this wasn't like Vanitas. It kinda made him paranoid. Why the fuck was he so paranoid?

"Yea!" Demyx agreed nodding fervently. "Can I do the coloring portion? I'm good with hard colors, but I suck at drawing."

"Sure." Vanitas replied raising an eyebrow but deciding not to comment on it. "And you Riku can sit back and do nothing. Kinda like you would do if we actually asked you to do something."

Riku just snorted at that to show his amusement for the comment. Obviously the two knew each other pretty well.

"And Ventus and I can do the basic design. How's that sound Venny?" Vanitas asked turning his attention/eyes/smirk on the blonde.

Ventus shrugged in response before adding. "That's fine."

-XxX-

"God, why are so many people in this school pigs?" Aqua asked looking at the trash cans which were overflowing with empty cans and bottles. "Really? No one can see the perfectly good recycling bins right next to it."

"They're blind Aqua, leave it." Terra replied continuing to eat his lunch.

"Not blind enough to not find the damn trash cans." She replied glaring at a few people who were putting even more empty soda cans in the garbage. For her, hell was about to break loose, but they didn't seem to notice. She rolled her eyes. "People suck. This is why I prefer trees!"

Terra snickered at that smirking at Ventus who was also smiling a little. "So, she's upset cause the world isn't green enough for her, what's up with you?"

"Me?" Ven asked making a confused face.

"You've been acting all weird since school started this year." Terra pointed out. "We noticed, but you didn't seem to want to tell us so we put off asking."

"It's actually worrying us a little." Aqua added. "Everything's okay at home right? No one's sick or anything are they."

"No it's not like that!" Ven replied before sighing. He had hoped to avoid telling them so they wouldn't need to worry about it. But he ended up making them worry after all; he'd probably have to tell them sooner or later anyway. "It's just…"

"Hey Venny!" The voice itself shocked him. Why, dear god, why now of all times was Vanitas coming over here and addressing him? Was he trying to start something? Ventus was pretty sure that it the black haired male said anything at all that he would normally say to tease him it would cause a fight. And he really didn't want to get anyone in trouble over some petty bullying. "Y'know I was thinking about our project and thought it might be good if we started tomorrow. It's Saturday so there's no school, and you can just come over anytime during the day. We'll discuss what we want to draw."

That was it? "Uh…tomorrow?"

"Yea. You don't have anything going on right? Roxas already said that you guys weren't doing anything this weekend. You can ask Roxas where I live." He elaborated smiling the sweetest fake smile in his arsenal. How the hell was Ventus the only one who could tell how absurdly fake that was. Or he was just paranoid. Vanitas did say that he changed. Then again he wasn't sure how exactly he changed. For all he knew it was worse.

"Uh, no. Okay tomorrow's fine." He replied.

"Great, it's a date!" He announced making Aqua chock a little at what she heard while the two boys looked completely dumbfounded by the statement. Although Terra did pat the girl sitting next to him on the back in hopes that she didn't suffocate. "Don't be late, Venny!" He added with a wink stealing a fry off of Ventus' tray and practically skipping back to his seat over with Sora and Roxas.

"What the hell just happened?" Ventus asked no one in particular. That was good, because no one had an answer.

-XxX-

"So what'd you say to him at lunch?" Sora asked as he was laying on the couch his feet resting up on the arm. "They looked utterly astonished at whatever you said."

"I called our little get together tomorrow a date. I was hoping I'd get to see his embarrassed face, but he seemed too shocked to do it. Oh well, maybe I'll just piss him off tomorrow. I like his angry face too. (Cartoons should never be that hot.)" Vanitas replied from where he was sitting and watching the movie on the other side of the couch.

"Ah, the many faces of the Ventus. And why push it? You don't need to do much to piss him off y'know. He already hates you. (Yea, this coming from the guy who watches anime porn. Don't even get me started on the things I've seen you draw.)"

"Oh, I know. Anyway, I'll need your help a little. (Dude, I'm an artist; I'm supposed to be able to draw people in the nude)."

"Why in the world would I help you? (Nude yes, in provocative positions, no.)" The brunette asked swinging his legs over the side of the couch.

"Because you owe me. (I am expressing my feelings.)" Vanitas replied.

"Yea, right, if anything **you** owe **me**! (So I would be right in assuming that you're a horndog who always wants sex?)"

"So I'll owe you more. Besides, tomorrow's my birthday; you should help me out for that reason alone. (Exactly, what took you so long to figure it out?)"

"I already got you a present. (Denial, I still don't want to believe that my cousin is the biggest pervert on the planet.)"

"Sora, I will beg. Do you want me to beg? (Go spend a day with Axel and dare to come back here and call me that.)"

"Ugh, fine you win." He finished.

"Which one?" He asked referring to the two different arguments they were just having.

"Both. I'll help okay. Just stop talking." Sora commented rubbing his forehead.

"Thanks Sor." Vanitas replied lifting up his cell phone that had begun to buzz indicating that he had a call. He pressed the ignore button as soon as he saw the caller ID. "I'm heading to bed."

"Kay. Night." He replied waving him off in favor of the movie.

Vanitas headed off to the bedroom that he and Sora had shared since he was in third grade. He felt the vibration of his phone again as they'd called back but he just ignored them again turning his phone off so he wouldn't be bothered anymore tonight. He flopped on his bed to rest his now racing mind. He ended up focusing on the sound of the fan that was continuously blowing on his and Sora's beds since it had a tendency to get hot at night.

It soothed him how the sound of the blades turning would take his mind off of everything. And it annoyed him that he had become dependent on it to sleep. But anything that distracted him from the thoughts that he would have anytime he was alone was very much welcome to him. He was soon dropped off into sleep where his nightmares lay. Nightmares probably weren't the right word for it anymore. It was always the same type of dream and it no longer scared him. It however did annoy him to the point of a headache that he was still bothered by them in his dreams.

They did enough to make sure he never forgot them whenever he saw them or heard from them. Both of which were things he would much rather avoid. Their fake sweetness made him feel nauseous. He'd felt the same way when he moved in here. He felt sick at first every time he saw the real kindness that his Aunt Aerith had. Or Sora's kindness. It had almost made him physically sick living with them at first. But then he got used to it, and now it was the other way around.

Every fake smile, every bit of phony sympathy. He hated people like that. People deceiving others to hurt them, or to hurt themselves. So he was a hypocrite. Because he knew he was like that at times. Because he just couldn't help it. It ran in his family. Just a little souvenir he picked up from the parents that he hated.

* * *

**NearKunn: Too much angsty drabble, must stop before I get myself depressed.**

**Sasuke: You deserve it.**

**Riku: If you're wandering why Sasuke is here, so are we. Care to explain Sensei?**

**NearKunn: Haha, yea…I don't really have an explanation for that either. I just kinda missed him.**

**Sasuke: You missed me, making fun of you? Because that's really all I ever do in your fanfictions.**

**Kairi: Don't lie Sensei! You just wanted him here so you could stare at him.**

**Tsuki: *waves happily while holding a leash that's connected to Roxas' pants* What's up peeps?  
Roxas: Let me go, damnit! *struggles to get away***

**Tsuki: No! You and Sora are my puppies, and I'll never let you go! *is hugging Sora***

**Sora: Can't breathe! *is suffocating in Tsuki-chan's giant boobs***

**Axel: *staring at the scene looking frightened* Are you going to at least let Sora go?**

**Tsuki: …maybe…**

**NearKunn: And, I'm cutting off that insanity there…**

**Axel: Why is she even still here?**

**NearKunn: Cause she can.**

**Axel: Well why is he here? *points at Sasuke***

**Sasuke: Cause I'm getting paid.**

**Sora: *pulls away suddenly* Wait, you get paid? *glares at NearKunn***

**NearKunn: *smiles and runs away* Tsuki-chan! Please get people to review in my absence!**

**Tsuki: Okay! Yo! People had better review to this story! You have no idea how entertaining it is to see NearKunn-hime's disbelief and confusion to how many reviews she has. And it contributes to the beautiful AkuRoku sex life! XD**

**Axel: ….she's insane…**

**Tsuki: *grins and glomps Axel freeing Sora and dragging Roxas along the floor by his pants* Review!**

**Vanitas: For fuck's sake this is probably the longest blurb we've ever done, and I'm not even fucking in it!**

**Ventus: It's even our story, and we're not in it…**

**Vanitas: Y'know what…screw you guys, I'm going home! *storms off***


	4. Follow Trouble

Follow Trouble

Roxas closed the book he couldn't concentrate on in favor of what was keeping him from concentrating. "Hey Ven, is there a reason you're in my room growling to yourself?"

"No." Ventus replied crossing his arms.

"Ah, so Vanitas pulled something while you were over there for the project?" He guessed. Of course Roxas only knew about the project because Ventus had to explain why he suddenly needed his address. Ven felt really stupid for not realizing that Sora was his cousin (or that they lived together for that matter), but Sora never mentioned it, and neither did Vanitas.

"How could he pull anything, when he wasn't even there? Sora told me that he'd gone out with friends. I should've known this was a set-up for something." He growled at himself. "I really hate that guy. Why does he feel the need to tease me all the time? And as far as I can tell I'm the only one he teases. Why me? What'd I ever do to make the guy hate me so much?"

"Maybe he doesn't hate you." The younger replied snickering. "Maybe he's got a crush on you. Naminé always said bullying was a result of love."

"Don't even joke about that… and anyway if that were true, he would've grown out of it. And anyway, that's highly doubtful. He's just some douche who won't leave me alone."

"Y'know Ven…" He began but was interrupted by a knocking on the door which brought their attention to the girl who was standing there.

"Hey guys." Their sister greeted with one of her heartwarming smiles.

"Naminé!" Roxas replied smiling back. If there was ever a time that Ventus felt more mature then Roxas, it was when Naminé would come home from college. He actually acted like a fourteen year old then. "Why're you home?" He asked as she hugged him.

"Mom and Dad wanted to have a family dinner tonight." She answered giving Ventus a hug as well. "Cloud's supposed to be here to, but I won't hold it against him if he skips after last time."

Ven rolled his eyes at the reminder. "Yea, I wouldn't blame him either."

Roxas had remained silent at the unpleasant memory of their last "family dinner." He picked up his book again to distract himself.

Ventus had also remained silent after that as well not knowing what he could say. Of course, he wasn't involved in whatever had happened last time and neither was Naminé. There wasn't much they could do about it. Luckily though Ventus had received a text message then that had served to cut the growing tension in the room. Ironically, it also served to increase the tension that Ventus was feeling.

'_Hey Venny, I'm real sorry about earlier. Something came up so suddenly. Gee, I hope you're not mad at me. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you? -Vanitas'_

"I really, really hate him." Ventus growled to himself glaring down at the message. Vanitas blew him off earlier, and then had the audacity to mock him. _'Fuck you.' _He replied.

'_If that's what you want, I mean, I was only going to suggest we get together tomorrow or something, but if that's how you want it, Venny, I'm all for it. ;)'_

'_Correction, fuck off.'_

'_So you are mad. Somehow that's kinda cute, like an angry chibi. Aw, does Venny not wanna play nice?'_

'_Leave me alone, Vanitas, and stop calling me that!'_

'_We'll discuss it later then, when you've calmed down a little bit.'_

He growled again at his phone as Vanitas had ended their conversation so abruptly like that. That bastard did all of this on purpose and he knew it. He hated him.

"Um Ven, who're you texting?" Namine asked after several moments of watching her younger brother growl at his own phone.

"His bully." Roxas answered after a minute of Ven not answering. He probably didn't want to admit he was getting bullied again.

"Roxas!" Ven asked turning his glare on him.

"I thought he left?" Their sister asked.

"He came back." The youngest of the three replied with a shrug.

"Rox, I swear I'll…"

"Dinner's ready!" Their mother's voice called from down the hall.

"Great." Roxas replied rolling his eyes.

Naminé stood up from her seat on the bed and headed to the door. "C'mon, let's just get this over with."

-XxX-

"Hey Vanitas is there anything special you want for dinner tonight?" Aerith asked entering the living room as she was grabbing her keys off the table.

"Aw, anything you make will be just great Auntie." He replied with the sweetest most innocent smile in the world.

Sora snorted trying not to laugh too hard at that while Vanitas resisted the urge to hit him in front of his Aunt.

"Okay then, how about homemade pizza?" She asked knowing exactly what his favorite food was even if he never said it aloud.

"You know me too well." He replied smirking at that.

"Okay then, I'll just pick up some groceries. I'll be back soon so please don't kill each other while I'm gone."

Vanitas grabbed his younger cousin pulling him into a hug. "I would never!" He replied acting shocked she would even say it.

She rolled her eyes opening the door noticing a package that had been left there. "Oh?" She read it. "It's for you Vani." She added taking it inside before finally getting out the door.

"Bye!" Sora called after his Mom.

Vanitas went over and picked up the somewhat small package reading it with a monotone expression before tossing it off into a corner of the couch.

"Oh hey, I guess now's as good a time as any." Sora commented reaching into his pocket. "Okay, so for your gift this year, I choose between your two favorite things, violence and Ventus. And then I figured I'd probably get into more trouble for kidnapping then I would for getting you this pocket knife, so I got you the knife." He added pulling it out and handing it to him. "Y'know safety first."

Vanitas smiled at that opening it before closing it again. "Nice. Now do I want to know how you got your hands on this since you're a minor and therefore this is illegal?"

"No you really don't."

-XxX-

"Hey Roxas? What's an uke?" Ventus asked. Now he was entirely unsure of what had possessed him to ask this question at all really. But Roxas tended to know a lot of things and it was starting to bother him. And he was too scared to Google it depending on what might actually come up, so Roxas it was. Although he asked the question without really thinking and had asked it in front of more people then he would've cared to if he was actually in the right state of mind.

Sora burst out laughing (when did he even get here?), Axel raised an eyebrow (him too?), Zexion looked slightly confused which was shocking since he usually just looked the exact same all the time, Riku smirked, and Roxas started to choke a little on his drink.

"How bad do you wanna know?" Axel asked with a laugh getting punching in the side by Roxas who was still coughing and having his back patted by the still laughing Sora.

"Nevermind, I suddenly don't want to know anymore." Ventus replied. "And quit laughing Sora!"

"Sorry! That was just so random I couldn't help it."

"Why do you want to know that?" Roxas asked. "Vanitas didn't say anything weird to you did he?"

"Huh?"

Roxas groaned. "Nothing."

"It's fine that you don't know though, since it's kinda a gay term, but it makes one wander where you heard it?" Axel asked.

"I don't know either." Zexion said.

"Really?" Axel asked. "I could've sworn your Twilight loving ass was a flaming queer."

"WHAT?" Zexion replied now looking a little mad. Oh, so he does have emotion.

"Don't be an asshole Axel. He probably only likes Twilight because he has fantasy's of Edward and Jacob together." Sora commented.

"Fuck you!" Zexion replied glaring at him.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with Twilight." Riku replied. "Well, there's nothing wrong with the books at least."

"Oh but the acting was horrible." Axel replied. "I haven't seen any after the first one. And I kinda hated Bella."

"That's because you **were** fantasizing about Edward and Jacob." Sora replied.

"Y'know what, pretend I never asked. I'm going to go drop out of this conversation while my sanity is still intact." Ventus commented turning around to walk away.

"Good idea." Roxas replied wishing he had that option. But if he tried to run away they'd just end up dragging him back.

* * *

**Vanitas: And now…**

**Ventus: Um…Vanitas? Where is everyone?**

**Vanitas: Well, since we got skipped over in the last A/N I told Sensei that I wanted a blurb all to myself. And that the only people who could be in it were the people that I specified.**

**Ventus: And you told Sensei she couldn't be here either?**

**Vanitas: Exactly.**

**Ventus: So I get why I'm here, but why is Roxas here? *points to him***

**Vanitas: Because he looks like you ;)**

**Ventus: But that…you're so creepy.**

**Roxas: How the hell do you think I feel?**

**Vanitas: *smiles at them***

**Roxas: I'm scared.**

**Ventus: Alright guys *peeking worriedly at Vani* Just…start reviewing.**

**Roxas: Really really scared now.**

**Vanitas: *smiles wider* POUNCE TIME!**

**CENCORED!**

**Tsuki and NearKunn: *watching from around the corner with glowing red eyes and dramatic scary music***


	5. Deals are a Quirky Thing

Deals are a Quirky Thing

Now one of the sports that Ventus had loved more than anything was soccer. It was likely the only sport he could play with his impeccable balance skills (none here). So you can understand why he was so happy, and upset that they got to play soccer today in gym class. It was amazing that he could get the chance to play his favorite sport but it sucked that of all the people they could've chosen for team captain, they choose Vanitas. And Vanitas had chosen him to be on his team.

Well there was that, and there was the fact that this was PE. And Ven hated PE. He always had this sinking feeling that he was being watched when they changed. Then again, that could've just been normal paranoia. That and Axel was in their class so…it was possible. Freakin perv.

But at least when they were actually playing it was great. With everyone busy running back and forth on the field. Vanitas in goal and with him in as sweeper. The black haired male had neither the time nor the chance to tease him. So of course, Ven should've expected it all to come crashing down like a brick building with a Sora sized bulldozer smacking right into it.

But no, he didn't expect to get clipped by Sora. To twist his ankle. Or to scrape up his knee.

"I'm so sorry Ven!" Sora commented kneeling down next to him. "I didn't mean to hurt you, you okay?"

Ventus nodded a little. "Yea, I'll be fine after I get some ice on it." He let Sora help him off the ground and leaned on him to keep the weight off his ankle. "Do you need any help getting to the nurse?"

"I could take ya." Axel offered.

"He doesn't need any help from you." Vanitas chimed in glaring hard at the red-head. "You'll just molest him anyway."

"I think I'll be fine." Ven commented taking a step and wincing a little. "I probably need to walk it off anyway."

Sora opened his mouth to say something but shut it when he caught the look he was getting from his cousin.

"I'll take you." Vanitas replied. "Oi! Larxene-sensei!" He called. "I'm taking Venny to the nurse."

She sent a chilling glare at him. "Really? Why doesn't half my class just disappear over a twisted ankle?" She suggested sarcastically. "Just get your ass back here before class ends Van or you're loosing your points for today."

"Kay." He called back already walking the blonde away from there and to the nurse's office.

"Course she's not in." Vanitas commented looking around the room. "You should probably sit down. She might be awhile." He turned his head too look at the blonde and their eyes met for a long moment. Longer then what made Ventus comfortable but he didn't want to be the first to look away. "How's your ankle?"

"What are you doing?" Ven asked the moment the golden orbs left him letting him release the breath he was holding. "You've been nice all year only to contradict yourself every once in awhile. It's like you're trying to drive me insane."

The ebony haired smiled at that. "I wouldn't worry too much about that. I'm not doing it to send you to the nuthouse."

"So what exactly do you want from doing this?" Ventus asked getting frustrated. He contemplated whether or not he would've snapped so much if he wasn't in so much pain. Maybe he **should **sit down…

"I just like to see it." Vanitas answered.

"See what?" He snapped.

"That!" He answered smirking triumphantly. "Your emotions."

What was that supposed to mean. "What are you…"

"It's nothing personal Venny, you're just my favorite."

"'Favorite'?" Ventus made a face at him. "What is that even supposed to mean?"

The door opened just then and the nurse came in. "Oh, hey need something?"

"He needs some ice for his ankle. And he should probably clean that scrape up before it gets infected." Vanitas suggested heading for the door. "Catch ya later, Ven."

He was out the door before Ventus could say anything back good or bad he wasn't sure. What he was sure of though, was now he was highly irritated and wanted to throw something and scream at someone, but the object of his complete insanity had already run off.

-XxX-

Sora sighed giving up on eating his food and glared back at his cousin. "Will you cool it Vani, it's not like I meant to hurt him."

"Hurt who?" Roxas asked taking the seat across from Sora and next to Vanitas who was still giving his younger cousin a hard glare.

Said cousin turned to look at his blonde best friend. "Vanitas here thinks that I purposefully tripped Ven today in PE causing him to twist his ankle and scrape up his knee a little. Even though it was a complete accident."

"Accident my ass, I watched you do it." He retorted.

"Are you joking? Do I look like the kind of guy who would purposefully cause harm to come to one of my friends?" Sora countered raising his eyebrows expectantly.

"What about what you did to Roxas at summer camp?" Vanitas asked.

"That was Riku's idea!" The brunette defended jerking a thumb at the silver haired teen next to him.

"You helped him do it." Roxas added crossing his arms at him.

"Like you complained so much..." Sora grumbled. "But that's completely different Vani. I did that to get back at him because Ku, Rox and I were having a prank war. Ven and I don't do that kind of stuff. He's too nice."

"You…"

"You gotta give him some credit, Sora is a fairly nice guy." Zexion chimed in not looking up from the book in his hands. "If you're nice to him."

"Exactly!" The brunette exclaimed happy to have at least one person on his side.

"Fine, you didn't do it on purpose but you still did it." Vanitas finished still glaring.

"Okay, so Sora hurt him…" Roxas commented turning to the raven. "What did **you **do to him?"

"Me?" Van asked turning to the blonde next to him with faux confusion.

"Yea, you. You're the only one I know besides maybe me (and Axel when he's at his perviest) who can piss him off that much." The blonde explained.

Vanitas seemed to take that as a compliment if his smile was any indication. "Well, I just talked to him a little. He's really pissed about it though?"

"Of all the things in the world to be proud of…" Riku commented raising an eyebrow.

"I'll say." Roxas replied with a nod. "He's been…unsociable all afternoon. And Ven only gets like that when he's really upset about something. He's too much of a social butterfly to be that distant."

Vanitas' smile only grew as he looked over at where Ven was sitting with his usual friends. The blonde scowling/pouting down at his plate while his friends attempted to talk to him.

"What'd you tell him?" Sora asked.

"The truth mostly…well part of it." He replied.

"So you told him about your undying necessity to get in his pants?" Zexion deadpanned.

"Hell no. I wanna fuck him, not kill him." He answered.

"Telling him…would kill him?" Riku asked.

"Venny wouldn't be able to overcome the overwhelming shock and probably die. Sadly, I'm not into necrophilia." Vanitas elaborated with another smirk. He looked at the seething blonde next to him. "This must be killing you."

"I'm attempting to ignore you." Roxas replied. "For your own good too." He added with a glare.

"Save it. I'm gonna go have some fun." He added getting up and walking over to a table next to where Ventus was sitting beginning to chat a little with the girls sitting there.

"So?" Roxas asked looking at Sora.

"So what?" Sora asked. "You pretty much heard the whole story."

"Liar." A voice said from under the table making Roxas jump a little before the red-head appeared taking the seat Vanitas was originally sitting in.

"Axel, what were you doing under the table?" Riku demanded giving him a look that basically called him a freak.

"To get a better view." Axel replied. "Now I'm really curious to find out what exactly Zexion's reading."

Said male flipped him off but decided against rising to the bait (or stooping depending on how you look at it) and said nothing. Probably a smart idea.

"That and I kinda want to know what happened to Roxas at summer camp."

The blonde glared at him. "Can we get back to the point here?" He added changing the subject.

"Oh yea, Vani got jealous." Axel commented. "I offered my…services…just like planned and as soon as I did Vanitas got really possessive."

"Yes!" Roxas exclaimed holding out his palm to Sora. "Pay up loser."

"You guys have a bet going on?" Riku asked giving them a look.

"Yea." Both of them answered in unison giving a look that said "of course we do, stupid" while Roxas was taking the brunette's money.

Riku sighed. "Of course…"

* * *

**NearKunn: FINALLY! That took way longer to write then I wanted it to…and I didn't even use part of it because I decided that I didn't like it, so I wasted a week writing something that I didn't even like…I had even originally planned to upload it like…last week! THE FAIL!**

**Ventus: Well to be fair, you've uploaded more of this story then you have your Naruto story.**

**NearKunn: They're gonna kill me for it to…writers block is a bitch…**

**Vanitas: Naw, you just like us better.**

**Zexion: *appears through portal and hands NearKunn a sheet of paper before disappearing again***

**NearKunn: *reads* A court summons? You're suing me Zexy?**

**Xigbar: *appears* My client (that's Zexion) did not give you permission to use him in this fanfiction, so…**

**NearKunn: EDITOR-SAMA! I NEED YOU!**

**Itachi: *also appears* I'll help you, if you write another ItaSasu story.**

**NearKunn: Deal! (butnopromises)**

**Itachi: *glares at Xigbar* I will see ****you**** in court.**

**Xigbar: I'm scared…Zexy! I don't wanna do this anymore! DX**

**Tsuki: *hearts for eyes* Tachi-sama! *glomps him***

**Sora: That wasn't weird at all…**

**NearKunn: Uh…moving on…Vani take it away!**

**Vanitas: Alright, well we all know that it's me (not sensei's writing) that keeps you reading this story…**

**Sora: *snorts***

**Vanitas: *smacks him* So review, and let me know how much you love me.**

**Tsuki: And do it for the amusement it brings me when she freaks out over the large number of reviews! I wanna see what will happen if we reach 100 views before chapter 10… *evil cackling* REVIEW!**

**NearKunn: Why do I let you do this again?**

**Tsuki: 'Cuz ya love me? And I review every chapter?**

**NearKunn: …no comment…and so do a lot of other people…**

**Tsuki: T.T**

**Itachi: There, there. *pats her head***

**Roxas: Just review before they get even more insane.**

**Ventus: I don't think that's possible…**

**Vanitas: *rolls eyes* Okay…bye time.**

**Sora: BYE!**


	6. No Use Crying Over Spilt Water

No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk

"Where are you going?" Sora asked catching his cousin on his way out the door.

"I'll be back." Vanitas replied smirking at him.

"That's not what I asked." The brunette stated rolling his eyes. "Here! Mom wants you to do something about this package." He added tossing the item in question at his cousin who caught it with ease.

He looked at the package again for a moment apathetically before dropping it in the garbage. "I'll be back soon." He finished heading out the door and shutting it behind him as if nothing had happened.

-XxX-

Ventus was getting annoyed at the length of this person's determination to knock on the door and Roxas' determination to completely ignore it. "The hell Rox, answer the door next time." Ven commented passing him on the couch to get to the door.

"I'm studying." The younger blonde replied.

His brother snorted as he opened the door to whomever it was that was outside and determined enough to knock that much. Of course that left him only attempting to get the door shut again. Sadly though, the black haired male on the other side wasn't about to let that happen and stopped the door with an outstretched arm. "Go away Vanitas!"

"Good afternoon to you too, Venny." Vanitas replied with the brightest smile in his arsenal.

Ven glared at him for ignoring him but his glare didn't stay as the other male had grabbed his wrist and was dragging him out of the door and out to a car that was parked in the driveway. "Whoa! H-hey! What the…"

"We've got a project to do together remember?" He replied dragging the blonde along with one hand and taking his keys out with the other.

Ventus' protests stopped after he was shoved in the passenger seat of a car to which Vanitas was getting into the driver's seat…wait…Vanitas, car, keys… "You have your license?" He asked as soon as the black haired male got in the car with him.

"Yea." He replied. "I'm seventeen now. My birthday was last week."

"B-but you're a sophomore aren't you?" Ven asked eyebrows furrowing as he started to wander about his priorities. He was getting kidnapped by Vanitas and he was worried about him driving. Why was that the more prominent source of his fear right now?

"I was held back in kindergarten. You met me my second year." He replied.

Ven blinked a little yelping as the car was turned on. "Um…how many wrecks have you had?" He asked cautiously as he put his seatbelt on.

"None." He answered. "Oh, but you might want to hold onto the 'oh shit' bar though." With that said he threw the car in reverse and Ven swears he saw his life flash before his eyes. Sadly, most of his life seemed to involve Vanitas, and that really sucked.

-XxX-

"Wow, your paler then usual Ven." Sora commented while sitting the blonde on the couch.

"I don't think he's used to the fun kind of driving yet?" Vanitas added.

"'Driving'? That wasn't driving Van that was insanity!" Ventus exclaimed getting angry now that his life was in no immediate danger.

The black haired male had only chuckled at that making the blonde go quiet again. That was exactly the reaction that Vanitas had wanted to get out of him. "Hey, Sor do you mind getting him some water?"

"Do I have a stamp on my forehead that says 'maid'?" Sora replied. But the brunette was already leaving the room.

"Just bring it upstairs!" He called after his cousin grabbing Ven's arm and pulling the blonde up and leading him to the staircase.

Ventus just sighed and followed along quietly giving up all hope for escape. And anyway any outburst of reaction is all Vanitas needed to fuel his amusement. And if Ventus was going to be a test subject for the raven, he was going to be a highly reluctant one. They entered a room with the walls overflowing with drawings pinned up with thumbtacks or tape. Everything ranging from realism to abstract. Honestly, it wasn't something he had expected to find in Van's room. Actually he didn't know what to expect. Nothing in the world had ever compelled him to think he'd be entering the bedroom of his childhood(?) bully.

"I was thinking we should do something simple. I shudder to think what Demyx'll do to it if we give him something too complicated to paint."

Sora appeared in the doorway with a glass of water. "Just so y'know Van. I'm not your servant." He informed his cousin with a glare before turning to Ven with a smile. "I'm Ven's. Right Senpai?"

_Whack._

The brunette recoiled from the blow of the back of his cousin's fist to the back of his head but only knocked the black haired male down to take him with him. The two had left the room, one chasing after the other, and Ven was left wandering if either of them had noticed that the water had been splashed onto him somewhat. He was lucky enough to make the save though before he was completely soaked and was now holding the glass half filled with ice cold water.

"Are you mad at me because I let it slip that 'uke' means you bottom in bed when having sex?" Sora asked as he passed the door a very smug look in his deep blue eyed.

"You told him that?" Vanitas demanded.

"I did now." The brunette replied hurrying away.

So of course if you've kept in mind the fact that Ventus was still holding a glass of water you should be able to appropriately guess not only what happened to the rest of the water, but Ven's reaction as well.

-XxX-

"I guess it's a good thing we're the same height." Sora noted pulling out an old pair of jeans from his dresser. "Geez where are all my clothes?"

"Laundry day." Vanitas answered tossing Ven a shirt. "Aunt Aerith probably took almost all you clothes for good measure since you've been known to just stick dirty clothes back in the drawers."

"They looked clean, and they smelled clean." The brunette replied indignantly. "That's good enough for me."

Vanitas snorted.

"Hey Vani? Did she take all my underwear too?" Sora asked.

"Now I know those were dirty." The raven replied rolling his eyes. "I guess Venny's not the type to go commando." He sighed making the blonde almost want to wander why he sounded so disappointed. "I've got some clean underwear. Fresh too they're all brand new."

"Mom bought you new underwear?" Sora asked making a face. "No fair, I've had to go with underwear for three days because I need new ones."

Two sets of eyes landed on his and he suddenly felt judged.

"Um…" Ven looked at the pants he was about to borrow from Sora and couldn't help but just wander.

"Sor, did you ever have a talk with your Mom about the difference between inside and outside thoughts?" Vanitas asked.

-XxX-

After Ven had changed almost reluctantly until Sora finally assured him that the pants he was wearing were actually Roxas' and therefore he'd never gone commando in them; he finally returned to Vanitas' room finding the black haired male already sitting at the desk pencil in hand. He seemed to hear the sound of someone coming in because he looked over his shoulder to see who it was. For a moment longer than was completely necessary gold eyes seemed to study him.

"I drew a rose." He commented turning back to what he was working on while briefly pointing at the bed where the paper with a single rose drawn on it was laying. "I figure you can do the stain glass part since I did that."

"O-okay." Ven replied examining it. In all honesty Ventus knew he sucked at art. But that was really good. "Do you want to be an artist, Vanitas?" He asked him look back at him.

For a moment it was silent but then the black haired male swiveled around to face his "guest" a smile on his face. "Nah, I want to be a thief. But artist'll be my day job." His smile grew at that.

"Very funny." The blonde replied rolling his eyes.

"Here." The other male opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a stack of paper. For a moment he searched through it before pulling out a couple pictures and handing them to the blonde.

"What's…" He stopped talking as he looked that the pictures.

"That's you. I drew that it eighth grade." He commented. "The other one's a self portrait."

"Why'd you show me these?" Ven asked looking at each on them.

"Well…" He got up from his chair moving behind Ven. "No reason in particular. But, let's say we take this picture and this picture…" his hands reached out grabbing hold of his wrists gently "and, you put 'em together." He brought his hands together suddenly making the two drawing meet each other.

Ven's eyes widened and he felt suddenly very trapped between Vanitas' arms. "Wha…?"

"So I guess I should take you home now." The voice by his ear whispered.

"T-take?" The blonde asked attempting to ignore his position. It was becoming easier to do of course with his now rising panic about something that seemed even more threatening then behind trapped in this position. "As in drive? As in you driving?"

"That was the point." He replied smirking at the nice reaction he was getting.

"Actually, I think I'd rather walk…" He began but didn't get to finish as he soon found himself tripping backwards and a change of position. His eyes automatically closed as his head collided with the soft material. Opening his eyes he was staring up at the male who was trapping him on the bed.

"I don't think I can allow that Venny." His voice said so low that it barely sounded like Vanitas anymore. His arm moved and leaving him only one arm to support himself with but the other arm was brushing down his chest. Gold eyes shining with mischievousness.

"What're…" Ven began to ask but trailed off as the hand just continued to travel down. His eyes shutting automatically as if it was a defense mechanism.

_Jingle_

Ven's eyes opened at the sound finding Vanitas now standing upright and holding up a pair of keys. Ven's keys. The ones that were previously in his pocket. "Give me back my keys Vanitas!"

"I will, once I get you home." He replied.

Ven glared at him.

"Well, it's that or you can come get them." He suggested dropping them down his pants.

His face flushed completely red eyes widening. For once he actually felt more shock then anger in this situation.

"Let's go for a drive!"

-XxX-

According to Ven's exaggeration, it only took a minute for Vanitas to speed his ass back to the blonde's house. In reality, it was about…three. Granted the two really didn't live that far from each other, the many people they had pissed off with their at one point 90 mph driving had honestly frightened him a little.

"Give me my keys." The blonde demanded the moment the car was put in park and he felt his heart calm down to a bearable speed.

"Is that the thanks I get for driving you home?" The raven asked.

"That wasn't driving." He deadpanned. "How the hell did you manage to pass that test? Give me my keys back."

Vanitas frowned turning the car and looking at the boy in his passenger seat throwing Ven off by the look on his face. "Say 'pretty please'." He added. But something in his voice had the blonde giving him a questioning look. But he had no time to figure out the meaning behind the strange tone of voice used as a face was soon so close to his and a pair of lips had covered his own.

He pulled away quietly reached up his hands to the male's shoulders to push him away but he wasn't strong enough. The waistband to the pants he was wearing was pulled forward along with the waistband of his borrowed underwear and a cold object soon met with his skin.

He leaned forward again even with the hands on his shoulders attempting to keep him away. "You asked for your keys back." He whispered. "Oh, and you can keep the underwear." He added unable to contain the smirk as the blonde shot him a glare and angrily got out of the car as fast as he could and slammed the door shut.

* * *

**NearKunn: I guess now's as good a time as any to end the chapter.**

**Vanitas: Oh fuck yes! *grabs Ventus* I win!**

**Ventus: …shit… *resigned to his fate***

**NearKunn: Anywho I…**

**Sora: WE NEED EVERYONE TO REVIEW IN LIKE NOWISH LIKE LIFE TIME TIME AND...AND...ANNNNNDDDDDD!**

**Riku: *shoves Sora in closet* Stay out of the sugar!**

**NearKunn: Um…I'm too tired to deal with you people. I'm dumping my work on Editor-sama.**

**Itachi: *sigh* No thank you…**

**NearKunn: Wha?**

**Itachi: Well, with your friend attached to my neck (she's been hanging on my neck for a week now by the way)…I don't particularly feel like it.**

**Tsuki-chan: *grins* I'm quite happy right now.**

**NearKunn: Of course you are, you been hanging off Tachi for a week. A week!**

**Tsuki-chan: Yeah…*gets off Itachi and sneaks behind Riku and sets his clothes on fire before cackling evilly***

**Riku: What the fuck?**

**Demyx: DANCE WATER DANCE! *puts the fire out***

**NearKunn: *grabs Tsuki-chan and bows* I'm sorry, Tsuki-chan wanted to prove that we ****can**** get more insane.**

**Riku: BY SETTING ME ON FIRE?**

**NearKunn: It was just your clothes, you'll live.**

**Vanitas: *sigh* Okay, you proved us wrong.**

**Ventus: Review everyone! *ignoring everything that just happened***

**NearKunn: Say bye Tsuki-chan!**

**Tsuki-chan: *grins like Gin from Bleach* Bye-bye! *waves***


	7. It's Better This Way

It's Better This Way

**O.O I'm so sorry! This is so late updating but believe me it wasn't all my fault~! Part of it was because anytime I tried to do anything here it would tell me Error. But I finally beat technoligy and put this up for you. So please enjoy. :3**

Ventus had entered his house just as he noticed his older brother putting on his jacket obviously on his way out. "Cloud…what're you…"

Cloud smiled a little before ruffling his hair. "Hey Ven. Mom and Dad wanted to talk but it's over now, so I'm leaving."

"What happened?" He asked him.

"The usual, you feeling okay by the way? You're looking a little flushed." His older brother noted.

Ventus shook his head. "No it's nothing." He replied making sure to watch through the window as Vanitas drove away. "So you got in a fight?"

"You and Namine missed a hell of a one this time." He replied. "Hey, tell Rox I'll see him later. He disappeared off somewhere a few minutes ago."

"Yea. No problem." He replied watching Cloud leave with a wave. He walked into the kitchen for a moment finding his younger brother dumping some food in the trash. "Not eating?"

"Not hungry." Roxas replied before smiling at him. "Its liver and onions, you wouldn't be hungry either."

The older blonde shuddered a little at that. "Hey, Cloud wanted me to tell you bye for him."

"I'd tell ya to tell him bye back but he's probably gone. I'd leave too if there was anywhere else I could possibly go."

"What'd they say this time?" Ventus asked him as he followed Roxas out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"I'm just amazed that the only time in the world Mom and Dad aren't fighting each other is when they're teaming up on Cloud." He answered. "Honestly they freakin named him Cloud. They shouldn't have a problem with his sexuality they practically caused it with that name."

"Meh, they were probably baked at the time they named him." His old brother commented.

"They blamed him for being the reason that I'm gay." Roxas told him leaning against the wall at the top of the stairs. "It really pisses me off."

"And that caused the fight?" He asked.

"Can I stay in your room tonight Ven? I don't wanna deal with them and they won't bug me if I'm hanging around you."

Ventus smiled. It was really only at times like this that he was reminded that Roxas was the younger brother here. He threw an arm around his brother and led him off to his room. "Yea, anytime!"

-XxX-

"Morning Ven." Terra commented coming up to the blonde at his locker who then looked at him.

"Mornin." He replied sounding as tired as he looked.

"Whoa, what happened to you? Not get enough sleep last night?" Terra asked.

"What's sleep?" Ven asked as if it was a long off dream before laughing a little. "No, I was up late last night finishing my homework."

"How late?" He asked.

"I'd say around four." The blonde answered closing his locker and beginning to walk with his friend to the cafeteria where they could sit and talk until the bell rings.

"Yea, that's pretty late. Why didn't you start your homework sooner?"

"Uh…well…I kinda spent all day playing video games with my brother and a couple of his friends." He answered truthfully.

"Aha, well now I have no sympathy for ya." The brunette replied.

"Good morning, Venny."

The voice had registered in his mind about a millisecond before he had felt the smack on his ass.

Terra looked completely shocked looking back and forth from his blonde friend who was twitching in irritation and the black haired male that was retreating down the hallway.

"Damnit Vanitas!" Ven called after him but he had soon disappeared from sight.

-XxX-

"How much longer are you planning to bully my brother?" Roxas asked taking the seat directly across from Vanitas at the table in the library.

"Oh my, modern society just has no more class. Whatever happened to no talking in the library?" Vanitas asked himself dully knowing that they weren't the only two having a chat in there.

"Cut the crap Van. I'm being serious here." The blonde replied with a roll of his eyes. "I want an honest answer."

Vanitas sighed. "I can see that." He replied. "Look Rox, you know as well as everyone else (maybe better since you've known me for so long) that honesty and me, we don't really go hand in hand. It's not my thing."

"Bullshit Vanitas. Whatever you're doing to my brother..."

The raven got up from his seat and walked away towards a bookshelf but the blonde only followed him there. "Let's not start this shit again, Roxas. I mean, I thought you said…"

"I said I don't mind your little crush on Ven, but what I do mind is when you take things too far if you…"

"Oh fuck, Roxas we've been over this. And typically you don't give a shit. It's really annoying whenever you start to actually give a damn about something for once." Vanitas replied.

"Wh…"

"If you're going to get mad at me at random moments over the same thing, why don't you just stay mad?" He suggested. "In fact I don't really get why you're so mad. You don't care right? You've never cared about anything." The black haired male smirked then reached out and grabbing the blonde's chin trapping him against the wall.

Blue eyes looked up at him masking all sense of any emotion say for that glare.

"Or are you just jealous? Would you rather I was after you?"

"Get over yourself Vanitas. I'm mad right now, because despite that fact that I 'typically don't give a shit' Ventus is my brother. And I do care about him. So I don't want to see him get hurt because you decided to be a complete fuckhead." Roxas replied.

The gold and blue eyed glares clashed for a moment at their close proximity before Vanitas released the blonde's chin. "Such honesty, you're such a good kid Roxas. But y'know, you're such a fucking wimp."

The blonde frowned at that in confusion. "What the hell?"

"Let me get something straight here, blondie. If you can't get up the courage to tell a certain someone how you feel about him, I don't see any reason to listen to a coward like you." Vanitas stated. "So stay out of my life if you can't even deal with your own."

He felt a fist connect with his stomach and recoiled away from the blonde. He met another glare. "**That** was too far, Vanitas." He growled before turning away and walking out of the library letting the doors slam behind him. Witnesses be damned.

-XxX-

"Hey Ven?" Sora asked taking a seat next to the blonde at one of the cafeteria tables at lunch. "Do you know what's up with Roxas?"

"Huh?" Ventus asked looking over at where his brother was sitting just reading one of his text books to himself. "No, he was fine earlier. Why?"

"I dunno, he's just…really…unusually quiet and…he's polite. He's never polite. But he said 'thank you.' To _Axel_ so now I know something's up." The brunette replied.

Ventus' eyebrows furrowed at the table where his brother and Sora normally sat. "Where's Vanitas?"

Sora blinked at that not knowing what to think of the fact that Ventus was asking about him. He shrugged his reply. "He just didn't come in, he might be hiding out somewhere or something but that's not really like him either. Vanitas likes to be around as many people as possible."

"Yea, I noticed that." Ven replied making a face.

"You think they got in a fight?" He asked.

The blonde shrugged in answer. "I don't know for sure."

Sora smiled at Ventus then. "Okay then, I'll just go over there and cheer Roxas up. And I'll ask about Vanitas later, so…later Ven!"

Ventus smiled back and waved as Sora wandered away. He trusted the brunette to do a good job; he was after all Roxas' best friend for a good reason.

"Is that kid related to that weird guy from earlier?" Terra asked.

"Weird guy?" Aqua asked.

"Some strange kid came up and smacked Ven in the ass earlier this morning." The brunette replied.

Ventus nodded. "Yea, they're cousins." He kept his eye on his brother watching as Sora took away his book forcefully dodged a fist and threw his arm around his younger brother smiling at him and saying something to him.

-XxX-

Vanitas watched for a moment while Sora talked to Ventus. He looked at the table he would typically be sitting at where everyone talked as if nothing really weird had happened and Roxas ignored everything in favor of studying. Probably because the blonde was still pissed at him. He decided not to sit with them today.

It's not like he felt guilty about it or anything, he was the child of those people. It wasn't possible for him to feel anything about it. It was just better that no one got close enough to fully understand him. Not Roxas. Not Ventus. Not Sora. Nobody. It was much better that way. Even if he had to fight with them and hurt them. It wouldn't matter. He wouldn't miss them.

* * *

**NearKunn: My, my look at all the drama! How unusual of me. Oh hey look! I even put Cloud in it! XD**

**Cloud: *unamused***

**Tsuki: *eyes glow red and stares at him* Cloud-sama~….**

**NearKunn: That's really creepy, Tsuki-chan.**

**Cloud: *blinks as he's glomped by Tsuki-chan and continues to ignore it***

**Vanitas: For crying out loud these blurbs are like their own scary story.**

**Sora: And as far as the real story goes, REVIEW!**

**Riku: Oh God, please do. It makes them happy, and when they're happy, they aren't setting me on fire! *glares at Tsuki-chan***

**Tsuki: Yes, please review! Her latest reactions are quite amusing. As for you Pretty Boy, you best watch yourself. After all I'm a pyro whom has no qualms about randomly setting you on fire, if for nothing but the shits and giggles on it all.**

**Riku: *nonchalantly steps behind NearKunn***

**NearKunn: Aw, Tsuki-chan, be nice to poor Ku-chan. It's not his fault he's flammable.**

**Tsuki: Maybe not, but only he has control over his attitude.**

**Vanitas: Why do you people insist on making these things weirder then they already are?**

**Ventus: *sigh* I have no idea.**

**Vanitas: Fine whatever.**

**NearKunn: We'll see you next chapter!...hopefully…if we haven't scared you off yet that is…**

**Ventus: *sweatdrop* Bye everyone!**

SUPER SPECIAL AWESOME NOTE # 1: Hey guys! I've gotten a lot of questions about what exactly it was that Roxas did. And they just keep coming. So one day, I challenged Tsuki-chan to write a fanfiction about what happened at summer camp. And she's currently writing it for you guys. I've read bits and pieces and it left me feeling very sorry for many people as well as wanting to read more. So if you are interested I'd suggest you go to Tsuki's page and Author Alert her so that you can be on the lookout for this…**_interesting_** story. :3

Tsuki-chan's penname = Kuro-Kasai-Tenshi

LOVE YOU FRANCE! ;D


	8. Still Not Apologizing

Still Not Apologizing

_Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop, chop…_

"Y'know it's kinda scary how fast you're doing that." Ventus commented watching his older brother cut vegetables for their dinner. It was always nice whenever they could manage to go to Cloud's to have dinner with him and Zack. Not to mention it was usually very entertaining.

"It can't be helped he's practicing for the wedding night when he realizes he's made a mistake and has to kill me." Zack commented searching the fridge for the rest of the stir fry ingredients until Roxas pointed them out on the counter.

"Well, obviously if you're going to continue insisting that Cloud wear a dress to the wedding, he's going to keep insisting that you get your balls chopped off." Namine commented with a shrug.

"Beautiful image. I don't think I want to eat now." Ventus commented.

"Are you talking about Cloud in a dress of Zack's balls getting chopped off?" Roxas asked.

Ven shrugged.

The only brunette in the apartment right now snickered at that. "Speaking of, are you guys going to the wedding or not? And if so you bringing a date?"

"Yes, I'll be there. And as for having a date that is for me to know and you to find out." Namine commented smiling at Zack.

"So I'll take that as a 'no' then." He replied.

She threw an orange at him but he ducked forcing Cloud to have to catch it before it broke their kitchen window. "I'll make you stand in a corner if you don't behave." He commented apathetically.

"Oh god, the mental imagery!" Roxas commented face-palming.

"And you two?" Zack asked happy to get back to the topic and avoid another Orange to the head. Or something heavier.

"I'm going, but I won't have a date." Ven told him smiling.

"Rox?" He asked.

"Yea I'll be there. And it's not really a date; I'm bringing Sora because I told Mom and Dad that I was staying at his house that night because they don't want me to go to the wedding." He answered rolling his eyes.

"I thought they accepted you being gay?" Zack asked.

"Oh, they did." He answered. "Well as long as I make them look good, then they're completely fine with me being gay. Although. They would 'prefer' it if I didn't stray from the righteous path. That and they think that I'll get ideas if I go to a gay wedding."

"So basically you're bringing Sora so that if Mom and Dad call to make sure you are where you're supposed to be, you can have them talk to him and lie about your whereabouts." Cloud finished.

"Yea, pretty much."

"Mkay, so what's with you Ven? Why don't you have a date?" Zack asked.

Ventus blinked at him. "Um…because I'm not seeing anyone."

"And there isn't a single interested girl at school?" Namine asked.

He paused at that. Honestly he hadn't thought about girls at all this year. He didn't think about dating or anything like that since mostly his mind was preoccupied with Vanitas. Okay, he knew how weird that sounded but it wasn't like that. Vanitas had him paranoid that's why he couldn't let his mind rest when he was even in the same building as the raven haired male. That was all.

"Um…not really. I'm not exactly the type of guy girls swoon over." He answered finally.

"Are you joking? I've seen plenty of girls giving you looks." Roxas commented.

That got him. He gaped at his little brother eyes widened. "Huh?"

The younger blonde laughed at that. "You really didn't notice?"

"Who?"

"I'm not telling you! Are you kidding? Anyway I'm sure you'll notice one of them at least. If you pay attention she's pretty obvious about the way she stares at you."

"You're seriously going to lord this over me?" He replied.

"Yea." He deadpanned. "Look, I'll give you a hint. She's a freshman and you've met her once or twice."

"I've met a lot of freshman Rox." He grumbled but let the subject drop anyway. Well this was different. Or maybe it was what he needed. A girl being interested in him. If he can find out who, maybe he'll like her back. If that's the case that could really help get his mind off the stupid raven.

-XxX-

_Snap!_

"FUCK!" Axel jumped out of his seat at lunch hand covering his crotch a slightly pained expression on his face.

"Ten points for Riku." Sora commented while Roxas wrote something down in a notebook. "An extra ten points for getting him in the groin."

"Yes!" The silver haired male smiled to himself reaching under the table to pick up the rubber band that he'd just flung at the red-head.

"What are you guys doing?" Ventus asked raising an eyebrow at them. He came by this table for five seconds and this is the first thing he sees.

"It's a game!" Sora exclaimed.

"Basically Sora and Riku are flinging rubber bands at people and depending on who gets hit they get a certain amount of points. Now where they hit also gets them bonus points." Roxas explained to his brother.

Sora aimed one at Ven and released it managing to get him on the arm.

"That's 5 points and an extra of negative one because the arm is too easy a target." Roxas commented. "Plus you didn't hit him very hard."

"That's because I just can't seriously hurt Ven." The brunette replied. "He's too nice."

"Do you guys just do random things because your bored cause that's what it looks like to me?" Ventus commented.

"Yea." All three answered together.

Axel pushed Riku's chair with his foot hard enough to tip it and make him fall to the cafeteria floor. Another rubber band left Sora's hands this time to smack against Zexion's ear.

"Ow!" The blue haired male dropped his book for the first time all lunch to glare harshly at the brunette. "I will kill you, you little prick!"

"And this game is safe?" Ven asked his little brother.

"Not really." He answered. "But that's why I'm just the score keeper. That's ten for getting Zexion and an extra ten for hitting the ear dead on." He turned back to his brother smiling. "You should sit with us today Ven! Terra's skipping right? And Aqua's got a field trip.

"You pay way too much attention to what goes on in my life." Ven replied he smiled back a little. "Fine, but if either Riku or Sora cause a fight then I'm out." He replied taking the seat next to his brother that also happened to be next to a now brooding Zexion.

"Dear god tell me this game ends soon." Axel commented still looking a little disgruntled about the pain in his crotch.

"Xigbar-sensei's eye-patch is like the golden snitch. Get it and game over. You win." Roxas replied.

Axel made a face. "I'm in pain. Someone should kiss it better."

"You see this is why I never sit with you at lunch." Ventus commented pointing to Axel.

"Dude, put it away. First off who the hell do you want to 'kiss it better'? And secondly, who the hell would want to?" Sora asked.

"I'm open to anyone." The red-head answered.

"Now my ears are ringing, and I'm greatly disgusted with myself for choosing to hang out with any of you." Zexion commented standing up and grabbing his lunch. "I'm going to eat somewhere else now."

"Fucking wuss!" Sora called after him laughing. "He'll be back."

"Yep, right after he screws up your chemistry project causing it to blow up in your face again." Roxas replied while absently texting someone. "Vexen-sensei's going to be pissed…"

"The pain!"

"No one's fucking gonna kiss your cock Axel!" Riku snapped. "Quit complaining."

"I'm so getting back at you later for this." He replied.

Ven rubbed his temples at that. He knew that they were like this daily. Really. He was just never a part of it until now. Plus he wasn't used to people staring at his table since he normally didn't act like these guys.

"You wanted to know who likes you, right?" Roxas asked a little quieter. "She's looking at you now, so you should be able to see her."

Ven blinked and looked up at a few of the tables that were across from him. Finally his eyes landed on a small girl who was looking at him as well. She blinked and blushed a little turning away suddenly deciding that the conversation her friends were having was very interesting.

"Xion?"

-XxX-

Vanitas glared at that. Usually if neither Terra nor Aqua came to school Ventus would eat in the library and study a little. But no, he saw him talking to Roxas and the bastard invited him to join them for lunch. And he'd been so looking forward to catching him in the library to fuck with him. But no, Roxas just had to go and ruin it. He pulled out his cell phone opening a new message.

* * *

_What the fuck, Roxas? What are you plotting?_

* * *

_I don't know what you're talking about…_

_P.S. you can start apologizing now._

* * *

_Don't be such a cock-block Rox!_

_P.S. Like hell._

* * *

_This would be so much easier if you caved and apologized to me. And promised to find an alternate way into my brother's pants that doesn't involve bullying him._

* * *

_It's playful banter. And you can suck it if you think I'm apologizing. I like my strategy, fuck you very much._

* * *

_Okay then. Have fun failing because I'm going to do __**everything**__ in my power to steer him away from you._

* * *

_Tch, good luck._

* * *

_Don't need it. Ven already hates you so it'll be easy. Plus I know that Zex's little sister Xion has a crush on Ven. Maybe a little pushing from yours truly… :)_

* * *

Vanitas growled hitting his head against the wall provided as he looked into the cafeteria where they were all still sitting. He sighed. "Oh for fuck's sake!"

* * *

_Dear Roxas,_

_I just want to let you know that…I'm not the least bit sorry in reality. I meant what I said about you and Sor. BUT, I am sorry for trapping you against the bookshelf and being a douche and…shit, I promise that I will work on a different tactic to get to Venny. So… just…GET THE HELL OVER IT!_

_P.S. Still not apologizing!_

_P.P.S. Remember summer camp? I still own your soul for that._

* * *

_I forgive you. Now get your ass in here and have lunch with us. Since Zexion ran off you can sit right next to Ventus._

_P.S. Once again, I forgive you._

_P.P.S. Mention it again and I'll castrate you!_

* * *

**NearKunn: Lot's of texting going on this time…and lots of talk about castration. Also, I brought Cloud back and this time brought Zack back with him! *flails* I wanted to do something to embarrass Ventus, but I guessed it wouldn't work right if Roxas was still mad at Vani, so I made them "make up" in their own special way. And you can blame Tsuki-chan for the rubber-band thing. :3**

**Vanitas: *picks up a couple pages of lose leaf paper* Holy shit, you've already written this far ahead.**

**NearKunn: Um…yea...I'm bored okay! We're doing nothing at school but reviewing for finals. Which admittedly I should probably be doing since these are the last high school finals I'll have to take in my life! Then it's off to community college for me. I should have a lot of free time on my hands from now on. Also! Tsuki-chan's uploading the first chapter of Summer Camp at the exact same time I'm uploading this new chapter. So go look for it.**

**Sora: This kinda scares me.**

**Riku: You think you're scared. NearKunn-sensei already told me some of the things that woman is going to do to me. *warily watching Tsuki***

**Tsuki: *Cackles evilly* You SHOULD be scared! Especially you Riku. In the second or third Chappie, I'm gunna get back at you for hitting Axel with the rubber band. And Roxy's gunna be the one to do it to you.**

**Riku: *hides behind NearKunn again***

**Ventus: Um…maybe we should get back to the point here.**

**Vanitas: Yep! And the point is, RIKU'S GONNA DIE!**

**Roxas: Why do you people have to do this every chapter?**

**Sora: OH YEA! Review…**

**NearKunn: Yes please. And do feel sorry for Roxy when you read Tsuki-chan's story. That poor poor child. ROXY!**

**Roxas: o.O**

**Tsuki: And don't expect updates all that quickly from me, 'cuz I write really, really slow.**

**Vanitas: And bye!**


	9. Books Are For Fools

Books are for Fools

**Special thanks to our 100****th**** reviewer: Rayne Destiny**

**Thanks for choosing to read this crap.**

Ventus was clearly unhappy with this situation. That of course, sadly didn't make this arrangement any less comfortable for anyone else that was still in the library that afternoon for a "study session" was it? Roxas being Mr. Helpful was currently trying to teach Sora the basics of math. Zexion was likely plotting the demise (possibly gory) of Sora for the rubber band match with his head in his chemistry book. And Riku was fast asleep.

As for Vanitas, he was currently turned around in his chair his eyes never lifting themselves from Ven's back as the blonde was currently looking for a book to occupy his time with until it was time to go home. Finally thought he had given up on finding something even remotely interesting grabbed the nearest book that didn't seem to have any crazy themes to it and headed back to his seat which was; thanks to these idiots who didn't seem to consider that Ven **hated** Vanitas, right next to the raven himself.

The blonde had kept his gaze on his feet as he walked back if only to meet the golden gaze of the eyes he was sure were still watching him.

"U-um…hey Ventus." The shy female's voice spoke causing him to look up from his feet to the black haired girl.

This started a train of reactions. First of all, he being the klutz that he was seemed to look up at the wrong moment because fate chose them to decide he needed to trip over air. This caused his to attempt not to fall flat on his face making him stumble around (literally turning around) and fall backwards. He hadn't fallen very far when he stopped and he would've assumed he managed to land in an actually chair had it been hard like the library chairs typically were.

Now for about five seconds and what seemed to him like a minute, he was brain-dead. He looked at Xion a little shocked then to the ground where he had tripped over air and back to find out what (er…who) he was now sitting on. There he found that he was sitting in the lap of his most hated person.

Well if he was upset with this situation more, it had just become ten times worse. Or maybe he was just stuck in shock.

"Now, now Venny, I really don't mind you sitting in my lap and all, but you know PDA is against the school rules." Vanitas commented blowing on the blonde's ear a little before giving Xion a sharp glare. That girl had been eyeing his Ven. And he wasn't about to let that happen.

"Wha?" Ventus attempted to get up only to find he was trapped by the strong arms that were wrapped around his waist. "H-hey let go!"

The black haired male sighed releasing him watching with slight amusement as the younger male jumped out of his arms and practically flew to his own chair. He seemed to glance around for Xion but Vanitas had noticed the bright red blush on his face. And he knew he was the one who put it there. Part of that made him pretty damn satisfied. "Why're you blushing Venny?"

"Idiot! Anyone would blush in a situation like that!" He snapped quietly opening his book and glaring over the top of it at him before hiding his face.

Vanitas smirked at that, deciding to turn his attention to something else before he pushed too far. This was so much easier when he didn't have to be wary of what would and wouldn't make Roxas mad. Of course the younger blonde was too busy with his cousin right now to care. "Because they're embarrassed or because they secretly liked it?" He asked quieter.

Ven glanced over at him again the black haired male was watching Roxas carefully before looking at back him and smiling a bit. With that he turned away again deciding to pretend as if he hadn't heard what was said.

-XxX-

Vanitas was heading down the stairs to answer it himself but just as he reached the bottom of the staircase the ringing was cut off.

"Hello?" Aerith asked. "Excuse me?...Oh! Sorry, I didn't recognize your voice. It's been quite awhile since you last called."

Her eyes scanned the room before landing on Vanitas to which he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh you did?" She asked. "No he's right here actually." She held the phone out towards Vanitas her eyes being the scolding kind.

He was pretty sure he knew why too. So he walked over and took the phone from his Aunt holding it up to his ear. "Yea?"

"_Vanitas! It's good to see that for once you're not too busy to talk to us."_ The voice sounded happy. It always sounded happy. Too bad it was so fake.

"Hi Mom." He replied a frown on his face as he leaned against the wall closing his eyes to avoid looking at his Aunt and his cousin. Both of which he was sure was watching him intently. He half listened to what she was saying as she told him about everything that was going on wherever she and his Father were this time. Sounded boring to him anyway. Then his eyes snapped open at something she had said next. "What?"

Sora looked back at his cousin then hearing him practically yell the question. The older male was clenching his teeth so hard and glare so deep on his face it was pretty intimidating. Even if Vanitas was mostly harmless.

"W-wait…wait…Mom…" He dropped off into silence for a moment face going dark. After another long moment of complete silence say for the somewhat loud talking of the woman on the other line, Vanitas pulled the phone away from his face and handed it back to Aerith before turning around and heading straight out the door.

Sora blinked at his Mom who had begun to talk to her sister-in-law again possibly trying to smooth over that and lying about where Vanitas went for him.

"Hey! Van!" He called heading out the door and catching up to him as he walked aimlessly along the sidewalk. "Vanitas? What was that about?"

The raven shrugged and stayed in silence for a moment.

Sora couldn't see the look on his cousin's face. He didn't want to. And he knew Vanitas wasn't about to show it to anyone.

"They…" Vanitas sighed. "They want to go home. She said they were bored with 'traveling' for awhile."

Sora made a face feeling somewhat confused. "So, what does that mean?"

"She said that they wanted to be a family again. So they want me to move back in with them."

"…" For a moment Sora had no idea what to say. And then suddenly: "No. No, they can't do that. They can't make you go back there…they…"

"Sor, they're my parents." He pointed out.

"No, they left you on our doorstep in the middle of the night when we were little. They abandoned you with us! They have no right to force you to go…"

Vanitas shook his head. "I don't want to go back either Sora!" He snapped glaring at his cousin. "But…"

"So fight back dumbass! You're good at that aren't you! I thought you were the bully not the other way around! If you're going to say that you won't let anyone push you around, then you should follow through with it!"

"Just SHUT UP!" Vanitas' hands clenched but he held himself back. It's not like he wanted to go back. He was actually quite content living with his Aunt and Sora. Even since his Uncle died a few years ago. He wouldn't say he was happy he didn't have feeling. But he was content with this life. He didn't want to go back to one that was completely unsavory. "THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU SORA SO STAY OUT OF IT!"

Sora narrowed his eyes. "It has nothing to do with me?" He asked. "Why not? Cause I'm your cousin? Cause we've lived together for as long as I can remember? Cause to me you're practically my brother?" Sora was pretty sure that at this point he would've punched his cousin if he didn't have so much self-control. "Or is it because no one has anything to do with it no matter what because you won't let anyone get close to you?"

Vanitas turned around and head back to the driveway ignoring the younger male completely. He just got in his car slamming the door and speeding away down the street ignoring the people he cut off to get out of the driveway.

Sora was right of course. Because Vanitas knew he wasn't letting anyone get too close. It's not like it mattered. No matter how close they were to him, he would never care. He had no feelings. He was just like his parents. He wasn't afraid of hurting them someday why would he? He was just as much of a sadist as his parents were. He would never give a damn about their feelings. Because he had none for himself. He didn't care!

-XxX-

Roxas shut the door to his brother's room behind him as he entered the room using the door to muffle the sounds of the screaming down stairs as much as possible. He plugged one of his ears with his finger and used his other hand to hold the cell phone up to his ear. "Sora, repeat that please I couldn't understand?"

Ven looked at him brother for a moment before returning his attention to the essay he was writing.

"Um…no I haven't. He can't really go anywhere it's already past nine so everything's closed. He should go home then shouldn't he?"

Ven was somewhat eavesdropping on his brother during his conversation so at that he turned around forgetting his paper and watched Roxas bit his lip as he talked to his best friend on his phone.

"Sora I'm sure he's okay, if you want Ven and I can look for him?"

Now he raised an eyebrow getting a little worried. Someone ran away? Or went missing?

"I'll call you later and tell you if we find him or not okay?" With that the younger blonde hung up and sighed before looking at his brother. "Hey Ven, Sora needs some help finding Vanitas."

"What?" He asked.

"Yea, Van apparently got really mad and ran off earlier today and he hasn't come back yet. There's also a severe storm coming right at us. It could be bad if he gets caught up in it."

-XxX-

Ventus sighed as he walked holding his umbrella. It had started raining even before he and Roxas left home but the actual storm hadn't gotten there yet. Although he could see streams of lightning not far off in the distance. He didn't really know where he was going either. He just wandered aimlessly in whichever direction. And he'd been out already for what felt like an hour but really only was about thirty minutes. A particularly loud boom of thunder cause his to jump a little making his irritated at himself for letting that scare him.

Although he was a bit worried but the wind hadn't picked up just yet. After another circle around a block he changed directions again to a different neighborhood. He figured he'd do a more through search if he walked around like this. The storm was looking even worse now. He contemplated going over to Cloud's since he knew his cousin didn't live far to wait out the storm and maybe call Roxas to see where he was at since he'd gone in the opposite direction. But as soon as he rounded to give up and head over there he saw exactly what he was looking for.

-XxX-

Yes Vanitas was aware that it was raining. He was just sitting there on the curb letting the rain pelt him. It was like Déjà vu. Sitting outside this house in the rain. Waiting for something anything. Whether he was waiting for the courage to go inside or for his Mother to finally unlock the door and let him in. Never a good memory waiting out here.

Then he the rain stopped. No, that wasn't right. It was still raining but it was no longer raining over him. He couldn't feel the cold rain drops on his head or arms anymore. So he looked up in curiosity trying to blink the rain off his lashes so he could actually see the blonde who was standing there holding an umbrella over him.

"Y'know it's dangerous to be out here during a storm." Ven said frowning at him now he was getting rained on. "Sora called and asked us to help find you."

"You're going to catch a cold, stupid." Vanitas commented.

Ven glared at him. "What? You're the one who was sitting out here in the first place, you jackass! And sorry for wanting to help out!"

The black haired male frowned. "Why do you want to help me out? You hate me right?"

"Yea. So? Just because I hate you doesn't mean that I want something bad to happen to you."

A strong gust of wind stopped the conversation making them both notice the storm that was suddenly there. Ven flinched at the sudden cold it had brought with it.

Vanitas got up then grabbing Ven's wrist.

"Where are we…?" He began to ask as he was being led to the house.

"It's dangerous to be out in the storm right?" He replied pulling out his keys and using the one he never used but couldn't bring himself to throw away to get into the house that had been abandoned by its owners long ago.

**NearKunn: It just keeps getting longer and longer. This is a lot different then my original plans it just seemed…better to do it at this point in the story.**

**Vanitas: Are we in a dark mood Sensei?**

**NearKunn: Meh, on and off. But I did put this story under drama so drama we should expect, no? But wanna hear something really epic? I graduated! YAY! And here I was doubting. Honestly kids, pay attention in class. Do as I say, not as I do.**

**Ventus: If that's the case you should tell them to stay out of drugs.**

**NearKunn: *blinks* But I'm not on drugs…**

**Sora: Yea, she's naturally this weird.**

**Ventus: o.O**

**Vanitas: Trust me, I know how you feel.**

**NearKunn: Um…anyway, Tsuki-chan won't be here for this updates blurb because I figured this is already late enough and it is a hell of a lot harder to write these things when we can't just pass the sheet of paper with the blurb on it back and forth in first or third hour since it's summer now. But I'll be sure to find a way to make sure she's here for the next update. Somehow…**

**Axel: Somehow it seems empty without her threatening Riku.**

**Riku: I'm not too torn up about it.**

**NearKunn: You do realize she will read this and she will get revenge right.**

**Riku: *smiles* Hey, Tsuki-chan, would you forgive me if I just went and killed Marluxia for you?**

**Axel: Hell, I'd forgive you.**

**Demyx: Yea! Kill her!**

**Axel: Dem, Marluxia's a guy.**

**Demyx: …no…cause there's only one girl in Organization XIII and that's Marluxia.**

**Larxene: …**

**Axel: Um…Nevermind Demyx…**

**Sora: REVIEW!**


	10. Turned Away

Turned Away

"Don't worry, we're not trespassing. I live here, kind of." Vanitas mentioned noticing the way Ven was looking around the inside of the somewhat dusty house. Although the caretaker had done a fairly good job with it. The home was just as he remembered it being. Empty and cold. But at least it was clean and wasn't completely covered in piles of dust and cobwebs.

Ventus didn't ask about what he'd said. He just let the black haired male go off mumbling something about towels before closing his umbrella and getting his phone out of his now wet jeans. Luckily it seemed okay and he texted to Roxas that he found him and they were going to wait out the storm before heading home.

_Okay, I'll tell Sora._

_Thanks Ven._

-XxX-

The storm didn't seem to be going away anytime soon. The place was musty and didn't look like anyone lived here but there was furniture and clothes as if the people who did live here had just gotten up and ran off taking nothing with them. Vanitas had given him some dry clothes to change into, they were big on him but it was better then staying soaked. There was no power either so Vanitas had lit a couple candles. Not too many he didn't seem to think causing a fire would be a good idea. So now what was he supposed to do…

He'd barely managed to ask himself that question before Vanitas addressed him.

"Ven?"

"H-huh?" He asked looking at the raven haired male who was sitting by the coffee table in the living room his eyes never lifting once from the small flame of the candles.

"Have you ever met a psychopath?"

Ventus' eyebrows furrowed at that. It was a strange question to ask suddenly like that. "A psychopath?" He asked. "As in a person with no feelings or emotions?"

"Yea, that would be the kind."

"No."

Vanitas looked over at him. Ven looked pretty sure of his answer the blonde shrugging off the question. "Are you sure?"

"Yea." He answered.

The raven frowned. "How are you so sure? Psychopaths don't really have a conscience and tend to be pretty good actors. You could know one and they might just be using you."

Ven shook his head at that. "There's no way that I could've met someone like that, because I can sort of tell what everyone's feeling. I'm not saying I'm empathic; don't get me wrong, I just pay a lot of attention to other people and I can tell how they're really feeling."

"Really? Even me?" He asked.

Ventus looked over at him for a moment silent before nodding. "Sometimes. You're hard to figure out though most times. Kind of like you've always got your guard up because you don't want people to see how you're feeling."

"It's not that." Vanitas replied. "It's not that I have my guard up, I just don't feel it for myself."

"You think you're a psychopath?" The blonde asked. After a moment of silent realization for the meaning of this conversation he started laughing. He covered his mouth with his hand trying to hold it in somewhat but failed miserably when the raven gave him a look raising a black eyebrow at him. "Sorry, you're not a psychopath Van, maybe a hypochondriac, but definitely not a psychopath…" He managed to say still laughing a little.

Vanitas wandered if the fact that he was being laughed at should piss him off a little more, but he was mostly just curious. "What makes you think that?"

"What? That you're a hypochondriac or that you're not a psychopath?" He asked managed to stop laughing but he couldn't stop the tiny giggle. Well, giggle made him sound like a girl…was snicker more like it?

His eyebrow was twitching a little now. "Hey! Quit laughing, and I'm supposed to be the jerk here."

"In case you're wandering I called you a hypochondriac cause you think you're a psychopath." Ventus informed him still smiling but he wasn't laughing anymore.

Vanitas' eyes narrowed. "I got that much. Okay fine, and then tell me right now how you think I'm feeling." He challenged.

The blonde frowned at him for a moment meeting his eyes. The sound of the storm outside was starting to register in their minds now that it they were being silent. "You look like your dreading something, your mad, and you're nervous."

Vanitas stared back at him for a long moment apathetically. Their eyes still locked together in the overly quiet house. Ven didn't even notice their proximity getting any closer until he'd felt the soft breath on his face. At that realization dawned on him and he back away looking over in the opposite direction of the raven haired male. He managed to find a window in that direction and headed over to it finding any reason to walk away from Vanitas right now. He really hadn't meant for them to get that…close…

"Looks like the storms letting up." He commented changing the subject.

"Yea." Vanitas replied absently.

"Sora's pretty worried about you."

The raven blinked choosing to look away from the blonde that he'd been staring at. "Yea, I know. He worries too much anyway. He's too nice for his own good."

Ven looked back over his shoulder at him but Vanitas was watching the candles again. "Are you gonna go home?" 

"I'm toying with the idea." He replied.

Ven looked back out the window again. "It's none of my business if you go home or not, just don't make Sora worry about you."

"Yea, yea. Since when have you started to scold me? You're a year younger then me y'know." He pointed out.

"Why are you in my grade?" He asked turning to raise an eyebrow at him.

Vanitas looked at him as well honestly surprised. He didn't think Ven would ever really care enough to ask a personal question like that. Mainly because the blonde was supposed to hate him, but really it was probably impossible for him to hate anyone. No matter what they ended up doing to him.

"Curious are we?" He asked.

"Well it's not like you're an idiot or anything like that. You get good grades right?"

"Nah, it wasn't too big a deal. You know I live with my Aunt now; my first time through Kindergarten was a little problematic and I was living with my parents at the time. I missed so much school at that time that I ended up failing. Then I moved in with my Aunt over the summer and she started me at the school she worked at."

Ven nodded a little biting his lip. He didn't want to pry but it was bugging him. Why he would've missed so much school at the time. But he didn't ask. There was probably a reason Vanitas avoided saying what it was.

_Buzz, buzz_

The blonde looked over to his phone that he'd set out of the way earlier. He had a new message and he figured since it was already pretty late by now he knew who it was. After opening it, he figured out he'd been right of course.

_You coming home anytime soon? The storms passed already._

Roxas was right, the storm already moved away from them.

"Guess Roxas is a little worried about you too huh?" Vanitas asked making the blonde jump. When had he gotten over his shoulder like that?

"Uh…"

"C'mon, I'll give you a ride home. Then I'll head home too, okay?" He added. "I mean, since you're so worried about me."

"Who the hell said I was worried about you!" He snapped at him only causing the raven to smile at him before dragging him along out of the empty house and too his car. "What I'm worried about is your crazy-ass driving in the rain!"

-XxX-

"Hey Ventus!"

The blonde had stopped and moved away from the door to the school at the voice walking over to where the girl was standing over by one of the trees with her friends. Said friends all seemed to tell Xion they'd see her later and hurried off as he approached her.

"Hey." Why did this feel so awkward? Oh yea…Vanitas was why. Although the raven haired male was actually pretty "nice" (for once) last night…

Why did just about every thought he had involving Vanitas have to be a loaded statement?

"Um…I just…I wanted to apologize about yesterday. I mean…I had no idea that you and Vanitas were…"

He chocked. He actually chocked on his own spit at that. "What? NO! I mean…no! We're not…! I'm not…um…"

She made a face as she waited for him to finish stumbling over his words.

"I'm not gay…and…well Vanitas is questionable…" He finished finally added the last part as he thought about yesterday and the time in Vanitas' car. "But I'm not…and…we're not…t-together…" He stuttered at the last part.

"Oh?" She asked her face lighting up considerably. "That's good to hear…" Then she frowned. "I-I mean…not that being gay is bad…well I just…you being gay is…um…nevermind. I'll see you later then Ven!" She hurried away into the school building leaving him there somewhere stuck between shock and something else.

Roxas did say…or imply that Xion liked him. She was surely acting like it then. And in a way that was actually kinda cute.

"What're you smiling about Venny?" Vanitas asked his arm going around the blonde as he started walking dragging him along with him into the school building.

"None of your business." He snapped. "Will you let go of me?" 

"Not a chance." He smiled. "C'mon, you should hang out with me before school today Venny. We had fun last night didn't we?" He winked.

"You call that fun? Vanitas you raced someone in the middle of the night and hydroplaned almost hitting someone!"

"But we didn't hit them, so it's all okay!"

"I'm telling you it's not okay!"

-XxX-

Sora watched his cousin walking with Ventus bickering as they walked down the hallway. When Vanitas had come home last night he had mumbled an apology to both Sora and his Aunt. That was probably the best they were getting Vani didn't really apologize for anything. But not long after that it seemed like Vanitas was in a better mood. A much better mood, and if Ventus was the one who had caused that, then…

"Is this really gonna work?" Riku asked the other three that were watching the two in question.

Sora and Roxas both seemed to shrug before Roxas gave him an answer. "We need to speed things along. As Sora pointed out, we don't really have much time left if Vanitas is going to move back in with his parents. Anyway, I'm really sorry Xion for asking for your help again. But you don't really mind right?"

"Of course not!" She replied with a smile. "I'm always happy to help a friend."

"Oh man, you're a damn good actress Xion!" Sora commented giving a little bow. "I always thought you were actually that shy and quiet!"

"I told you. She's the Queen actress. Besides, she acts like that all the time to practice." Roxas stated.

She giggled a little. "I am a little curious though, why am I pretending to have a crush on Ven?"

"Because, Sora and Roxas here…" Riku began gesturing to the two. "Are convinced that Vanitas and Ventus are meant to be."

"Really?" She asked looking at the two in question. They were still arguing somewhere down the hallway. "They don't really look it."

Sora smiled. "You don't know those idiots like we do."

She smiled back. "I guess not. I'll see you guys around!"

"So you two really think your devious plans will work?" Riku asked.

"My 'devious plans' always work." Roxas replied making a face.

Riku ignored the painful memories and resisted the urge to run his fingers through his hair as if to make sure it was still there. "Whatever. I'll let you guys have the fun with this one."

"Hey!" Demyx called the bubbly mullet blonde running up to them and handing each of them a sheet of paper. "Show up okay!" He added before hurrying off down the hall and giving it to a few more people.

"'Demyx's Big Beach Bonfire Blowout.'" Riku read. "Oh yea, I guess it's about time for him to have that. Funny though, he usually doesn't invite freshman." He smirked at Sora and Roxas.

"Has that stopped us from showing up that last two years?" Sora asked. "And we weren't even in High School then."

"Is it just me or does the title just keep getting longer?" Roxas added.

Riku shrugged at that. Tossing his paper in the sheet in the trash. He'd show up of course, but so would just about everyone else. It's not like you needed an invite to go. "C'mon let's get something to eat."

"I second that notion!" Sora replied.

**NearKunn: Gah! I pretty much wrote all of that on a whim. I was going to save Vanitas' story for later, but I didn't want this story to go on too long, I know I loose interest when a story goes on and on and on and on and on and on and….**

**Ventus: Please stop that.**

**Tsuki: Mer~~~…Damn. I'm still in Izaya mode… XD Oh well~. Oh, by the way…Riku-kun~~~! :D**

**Riku: *runs away***

**Axel: I missed you.**

**NearKunn: Well, welcome back Tsuki-chan.**

**Tsuki: Thanks! It's good to be back! :3 As for you Axel-sama, *chibi eyes* Did you really miss me that much? *Acting like a hopeful fangirl* Also, YOU HAD BETTER RUN, RIKU! *random note of importance* I HATE MARLUXIA!**

**Marluxia: What did I do?  
Vexen: Are you alive?**

**Marluxia: Go back to your basement you ungrateful, Turkey.**

**Vanitas: Excuse me, this chapter is about me. Take your cock-fights elsewhere.**

**Ventus: …That's a disturbing thought.**

**Sora: Now everyone get to…**

***lights go out***

**Vanitas: The fuck just happened?**

***sounds of gunshots and girly screams, lights come back on and everyone looks at Marluxia on the ground then to Tsuki-chan***

**Tsuki: What? Is there something on my face?**

**Vanitas: Holy shit.**

**Ventus: …I know…**

**Vanitas: Marry me!  
Tsuki: Why not? I'll even let you keep Ven! :3 Anyways, I'm working on the 2 chapter of Summer Camp so expect that in a week or so. AND read the A/N at the end! It's important. O.O XD Bye-bye!**

**NearKunn: *sigh***


	11. Demyx's Big Beach Bonfire Blowout!

Demyx's Big Beach Bonfire Blowout!

"Y'know kidnapping's illegal right, Van?" Sora asked following his cousin out to the raven's car. They tossed their bags in the trunk before heading to their seats.

"Yea, but I'm not kidnapping anyone." Vanitas replied giving his cousin a look.

"Okay, so then Ven actually knows that you're dragging him to this party?" He added.

"No." He answered.

"Then you _are_ kidnapping him!" The brunette pointed out.

Vanitas sighed turning the car on he sat back for a moment and looked at his cousin letting the air conditioner cool off the car for a bit. "Again, no. I'm taking both him and Roxas, and Venny will agree to go as long as Roxas is there with him." He smiled at him victorious in this argument. "Ready?"

Sora buckled his seatbelt quickly reaching up to grab a hold of the safety bar. "My seatbelt's on, I've got a hold of the 'oh shit' bar. Let's go!"

-XxX-

"What could they possibly be yelling about, that they haven't already yelled at each other for?" Ventus asked slamming the door to his bedroom shut hoping to muffle his parents. He already had enough trouble studying when it was quiet.

Roxas shrugged from where he was searching through Ven's closet. "Who cares?"

"What are you doing by the way?" The older of the two brothers asked as he watching his younger sibling pull out one of his old green messenger bags that he had really forgotten why he kept in the first place.

Before Roxas could answer of course his cell phone rang making the younger blonde pull it out of his pocket and answer. "Yea?"

Ven could hear the muffled voice on the other line knowing immediately that it was Sora. Honestly he should've guessed that. The two didn't go a day without talking to each other.

"Okay, we'll be out in a minute." He hung up placing his phone back in his pocket and tossing the green bag to Ven before picking up his old checkerboard bag the was sitting by the door. "C'mon, it's better then spending all day at home studying right?"

"Uh…" He unzipped his bag peeking inside. Oh that's why he'd kept this bag. Really he hadn't gone swimming in forever. He probably didn't even think when he'd stuffed his new swimsuit in there and shoved it in the closet to lay forgotten. "Where exactly are we going?"

"The beach." Roxas deadpanned.

"And how are we getting to the beach?" Ven asked.

"C'mon our rides waiting for us."

"Who's our ride? Roxas!"

-XxX-

"I think I'm going to get sick." Ventus commented leaning against the window of the car in the backseat.

Vanitas snickered a little from the driver's seat before cracking Ven's window a little letting the blonde have some fresh air. "Is it normal for you to get car-sick like this?" He asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure it's just your driving." He replied.

"Hey, I slowed down half-way." The raven defended.

"Halfway shouldn't have taken fifteen minutes on a car ride that's typically takes you an hour." Ven snapped glaring at the back of his head. "And that's only _if_ you obey traffic laws!"

"So, I did us a favor and made the ride here a little quicker."

"Don't say that like it's a good thing!"

"Oi, Mom and Dad! Will you quit bickering for five seconds? You're making my ears bleed!" Sora complained getting a smirk from his cousin and a glare from the older blonde in the back.

"Well we're there anyway." Vanitas pointed out as he searched for a good spot to park up by the beach. "Looks like they're just starting the party."

"Party?" Ven asked as the raven pulled into a spot he deemed good enough for his car.

"Demyx's Big Beach Bonfire Blowout!" Sora answered. "The name gets longer every year, just so you know, 'Bonfire' is new."

"That's probably Axel's fault." Roxas spoke up as he reached into the trunk that Vanitas had opened for them to get his bag.

"This isn't going to be like the other parties I hear about all the time at school is it?" Ventus asked.

"Nah, Demyx's beach parties are pretty tame since they're so public." Roxas informed him. "Well…they're tame until around ten."

"Also Axel's fault." Vanitas added. "But even then Axel's usually the only one who strips." The raven held out the green bag for the blonde to take which Ven did. "So, should I take it that this is your first time at something like this?"

"Yea." The blonde replied.

-XxX-

"It's your first party, and you're going to spend it hiding over here alone?" Vanitas asked making Ven jump a little.

The blonde looked back over his shoulder at him away from the sunset he was currently watching. It really had been years since he'd been to the beach. Even then he'd never stayed long enough to see the sun setting over the water.

"It's too loud over there." He replied gesturing with his head to where most of the people were gathered. "That and Axel's a little…forward when he's drunk so I figured I'd better run away while I had the chance."

"Good idea." The raven replied taking a seat next to him.

"Vanitas?"

"Hm?"

"Why're…" He stopped trying to figure out how to word this. "Uh, I mean I guess I'm just paranoid, but why are you being so nice lately?"

"Huh?" He asked blinking at him.

"I mean it, you've been a jackass all year…well, actually longer then that, but…"

"Don't kill yourself over-thinking, Venny." Vanitas replied. "I just don't want to piss your brother off anymore. And, I guess, I like you. So I decided to use a different approach."

"Approach to what?" Ventus asked staring at him.

Those gold eyes looked up at him then. God the way the sunlight was hitting him right now…His blue eyes reflecting the gold of the sun and the blue of the sea at the same time. Those eyes, that reminded him of a mirror in a strange way. And his soft skin, practically glowing with the light. It was so…beautiful.

"Hey!"

The two were pulled from there staring contest forced to look over at Demyx who's come up behind them at some point unnoticed.

"You guys wanna walk down the dock with us?" The mullet haired blonde asked smiling at the two. He was pointing down to wear Sora, Roxas, Axel, and Riku were standing around talking.

"Sure, why not?" Vanitas replied standing up. "You coming, Ven?"

The blonde shrugged his response and stood up as well brushing some sand off the back of his pants.

"We should totally go skinny dipping!" Axel commented as they began walking down the empty dock.

"Yea." Riku agreed. "Here's an idea, Axel you strip and go all the way over there so no one has to see it!"

"Hey, Ku? Remember when I told you I was going to get you back for smacking me in the crotch?" The red-head replied shoving the other male off the dock and into the water. He was too busy laughing though to notice when Riku splashed water up at them managing to get just about everyone wet before he climbed back up on the pier.

"This dock is pretty high…" Sora commented.

"We're like five feet above the water, Sora." Roxas replied deciding to sit down at the edge.

"The water's so cool!" Demyx commented looking down into the water. It was too deep yet and you could still see the ocean floor and all the fish swimming there. "The ocean's the best!"

"Say what you want, I just can't wait for the fire!" Axel exclaimed.

"Have you ever considered the possibility that you're a pyromaniac?" Vanitas asked him.

"Once." The red-head replied smirking at him.

"Y'know I really hate heights." Sora commented leaning over to look at the water beside his best friend before pulling back to a distance from the edge that he felt was "safe."

"Sora, my feet are touching the water." Roxas pointed out. "It cannot be that high."

"Well of course, if you get too scared you and I could always go back to the beach alone." Axel suggested putting his arm around the brunette.

Roxas jumped up suddenly turning to look at Axel with a bright smile on his face. One that Ven, Sora, and Riku all knew to be completely fake and most likely dangerous. "Y'know, I've been thinking Axel. And I think we all should go skinny dipping. Let's strip."

Ventus gaped at him. His brother wasn't…serious was he? Really he had barely enough time to be horrified when Roxas had started to take off his shirt slowly.

Then there was Axel…standing loud and proud at the end of the deck in the light of the sunset provided completely and totally naked. Ventus turned away immediately he didn't care that he was practically hiding his red face in Vanitas' chest. He just didn't want to look.

"Wow, so that is your natural color after all?" Roxas commented.

"Ha! Take that, Roxy!" Sora exclaimed. "You owe me ten bucks!"

"Nice piercing." Vanitas commented smirking at the sight of Ven hiding literally in his chest. That was cute. God he was so innocent!

Roxas smiled again putting his shirt back on. "Okay, well I'll see you at the beach Axel." He added before quickly knocking the red-head off of the pier and into the water.

Ven looked up in shock at the sound in time to see his little brother and Sora grabbing Axel's clothes in a rush before running back to the beach.

"HEY!" Axel called after them realizing that he'd been tricked and he decided to start swimming back to shore.

Demyx and Riku took this moment to fall over in laughter while Vanitas joined them his arm going around Ven's shoulder as he hid his face in the crook of the blonde's neck still laughing. Maybe crying a little too. "I gotta hand it to ya, Dem. Your parties are never boring!" He managed to say between laughs as he was attempting to catch his breath now as well.

* * *

**NearKunn: Would you believe me if I told you I originally wrote this before I wrote the last two chapters? I'm so disorganized…um, review! Now onto a crazy extra!**

**Axel: Also, just in case you were curious, Vanitas and Tsuki-chan are getting married.**

**Roxas: We're the announcers.**

**Axel: But before we get started with the wedding We're going to talk to a few of the people involved in said wedding. Here is the groom's wedding gift from the bride. *walks up to Ven who's tied up with a microphone* so, how do you feel about being a wedding gift?**

**Ventus: I hate my life… T.T**

***screen switches to Roxas***

**Roxas: Hello everyone I'm here with the best man, Sora.**

**Sora: Hey guys!**

**Roxas: Now Sora being the best man, do you really think this wedding is really a good idea?**

**Sora: Um…I want to say no, but Tsuki's watching me… *points to behind the wall where Tsuki is glaring at him* So yes, this wedding just seems like the single best idea EVER!**

***switches back to Axel who is currently with NearKunn***

**Axel: And what are your views on the wedding between Tsuki-san and Vanitas?**

**NearKunn: Well, I wish them the best of luck! And if it doesn't work out, Tsuki-chan can always just kidnap you. :3**

**Axel: …...**

***switches back to Roxas with Vanitas***

**Roxas: You ready to get married yet Van?**

**Vanitas: As ready as your Mom was last night.**

**Roxas: …Do you want me to kill you?**

***switches to Zexion who's with Tsuki-chan***

**Zexion: I'm inclined to do this, since Axel suddenly freaked out earlier and went crying to Roxas. Something about you being scary. Anyway, I'm supposed to ask how you feel about getting married today?**

**Tsuki: *Grins with a slightly unhinged look* I'm soooo excited! Vanitas will be MINE FOREVER... *Goes off into a fantasy while giggleing like a school girl***

**Zexion: ...Yea...that's...weird...**

***ADDED BONUS! switches to Axel who although is looking about him warily is with Riku...who's in a dress***

**Axel: So what is your job in today's...*looks around himself* wedding?**

**Riku: ...*growls* Fuck off!**

**Axel: Flower girl? :)**

**Riku: Oh look Tsuki's coming!**

**Axel: O.O *runs away***

***switches back to Roxas with Axel hiding behind him***

**Roxas: Anyway, I'd like to thank Zexion for filling in for Axel, and have a good day everyone! Make sure to tune in on the next update for something hopefully a lot less crazy!**

***screen goes black***


	12. Good Luck You'll Need It

Good Luck; You'll Need It

Vanitas closed his eyes feeling more comfortable as he sat in front of the fire. It was warm here which felt nice compared to closer to the water where it had grown quite cold along with the night air. He opened his eyes again to turn his attention to whoever was taking the seat beside him in curiosity. He did feel a bit of joy though when he saw that it was Ventus.

He watched the fire's glow engulf the blonde's pale skin. The slight shiver from the sudden warmth of the fire. He really needed to stop thinking that he was beautiful. He already knew he was; that was why he wanted to fuck him so badly. And the blonde's reactions were an added bonus of course. Vanitas admitted to being a little obsessed with seeing other people's emotions. Ever since his parents had left him on his Aunt's doorstep he's become obsessed with emotions and feelings. Obsessed with something his parents had never shown him. Something, he wanted, and something his Aunt and Sora both had plenty of.

Although he had learned over the years that not all of their emotions were something he wanted to see. Every emotion they ever had had intrigued him. Then there was the night where his Uncle had died. The emotions he saw displayed on his Aunt and cousins faces was something he never wanted to see again.

Ven shivered again crossing his arms for a little warmth. His blue eyes flickered over to him after a moment catching his staring. "Wha-what?"

"Nothing." Vanitas replied smiling at him letting the blonde distract him from his thoughts. "Just having some dirty thoughts. Want me to tell you what they are?"

"Keep it to yourself. I don't wanna know." He replied turning away sharply and focusing on watching his brother from across the fire as he was talking to Riku and Sora.

"Aw, but you're part of it, Venny." The raven added leaning over closer to the blonde who in turn leaned backwards and away.

"I told you I don't want to know!" Ven chocked out finally loosing balance and falling with his back on the sand and Vanitas hovering over him legs at either side crawling closer…

"I'll give you a hint it was you and me in a position similar to this."

Was it really his imagination like his brain was currently screaming at him or was Vanitas really getting closer to him. And was that his heart he was hearing, because that shouldn't be healthy.

Someone cleared their throat suddenly causing them to turn and look at the two boys who were watching them. Ven's heart seemed to only increase in speed as he flushed red. But of course Roxas would walk over here in time to see…this…

Said boy just squatted down beside them not bothering to wait for them to move from their position. "Hey Ven, do you mind riding home with Vanitas alone? Riku wants me and Sora to go with him to help get Axel home."

"How drunk is he?" Vanitas asked raising an eyebrow.

Roxas sighed at that. "He's naked and I'm pretty sure he passed out. We can't find his clothes either."

"Um…" Ven spoke up shoving Vanitas off of him hard enough to make the raven fall back onto the sand himself. "I-I guess…that's fine…"

"Great!" Roxas smiled getting back up and walking back over to Sora. "See you later then!"

"Bye Van!" Sora added winking at his cousin before walking with his blonde friend away from them. Ven decided not to translate that particular action.

-XxX-

"So how bad did you want to kiss me?" Vanitas asked suddenly making Ven chook suddenly on air. They were currently driving at a normal speed heading back home. It was pretty late too. It had been quiet for a good chunk of the ride which of course Ventus welcomed. However that was ruined fast as they were driving through Traverse Town.

"What?" He asked glaring over at him.

"Earlier, by the fire." The raven shot him a smirk. "You wanted to kiss me didn't you."

"Did the sun fry your brain or something?"

Vanitas shook his head stopping at the stop light. He didn't pursue the question but he did manage to steal a couple glances at the blonde beside him who had seemed to stiffen up at the idea. That was pretty amusing. He was about to add something else to his statement but a voice past Ven's window caught both their attentions.

"Hey~!"

Ven twitched glancing over to the car that had pulled up beside them. These guys looked obnoxious (maybe more so then Vanitas). He looked away deciding to ignore them.

"Hey~! Fags!" He called as the entire car began laughing.

Vanitas took a moment to figure out how that was actually funny? They _must_ be drunk off their asses.

Ven glared over at them and they laughed again. Did they really just do that? It was people like them that always cause Cloud and Roxas a hard time, and people like them that Ven really wanted to see pushed off a cliff! Well…maybe a small cliff, he didn't want to see them die, but seriously injured wasn't much of a problem.

The driver revved his engine a couple times laughing again. He kinda sounded like a wounded seal…or Vexen-sensei when he laughed…which was still slightly disturbing and quite obnoxious.

"They're challenging me, to a race." Vanitas commented with a sigh before looking over at the blonde in the passenger seat. "Don't worry, though, I won't race. Roxas made me promise to behave before he left…"

"Kick their asses." Ven replied interrupting him.

"…What?" The raven blinked in surprise.

"Kick. Their. Asses." He repeated through clenched teeth sending them another glare as they started yelling out Queers. "I swear to all that is Holy Van, if you don't win this race, I will harm you!"

"You're angry." Vanitas commented somewhere caught between shock and amazement.

"Of course I'm angry! How could I not be angry?"

He laughed suddenly smiling brightly at the blonde. Probably one of the happiest smiles Ven's ever seen on the other male's face. "You're cute when you're angry."

"Vanitas!"

"Give me a good luck kiss, and I'll race them." He added.

"You're joking?" Ventus deadpanned.

"Do you want me to race them?" Vanitas replied calmly as the lights were beginning to change.

The blonde panicked a little. If he had been in the correct state of mind, he most definitely wouldn't have leaned over to give the other now smiling like a madman a quick kiss on the lips which was happily reciprocated by the raven before Van's foot met the gas petal a lot faster then Ven felt comfortable with. He did get over that of course after they'd gotten ahead of the other car and the raven so graciously cut them off forcing them to brake a little before switching into the other lane to catch up.

It wasn't long before the other car started to catch up their faces smug as they laughed passing them and cause Ventus to panic yet again. He looked over at Vanitas a smile on his face that just screamed that he was up to something. His speed was decreasing and Ven was three seconds from telling him to speed the fuck up before the car started to yet again pick up speed. They caught up and passed that other car faster then they probably should've with the distance that Vanitas had let them get on him.

The blonde looked over his shoulder watching the car get further away until Vanitas decided they were far enough away to slow down. Just in time too Ven noted as they passed by a cop car at the actual speed limit.

Vanitas turned his head smiling brightly at the blonde next to him. "So, how about a victory kiss?"

Ven gave him a glare and punched him in the arm hard enough to convey that it wasn't happening.

-XxX-

Riku took aim Sora doing the exact same pointing them at the back of the man's head and waiting for him to turn around. Finally they could figure out the winner of this damn contest. Roxas had his notebook out ready to name the winner when Vanitas leaned over and said something quietly to the blonde who shrugged and started writing something on the notebook page with the recorded scores.

Xigbar-sensei began to turn the two boys pulled their rubber bands back and released. The old man turned his head to the side to avoid getting hit in the face causing them both to curse.

"What was that?" The history teacher demanded glaring harshly at the two boys.

"Riku! Shit man, why would you do that to Xigbar-sensei!" Sora yelled suddenly. "Have you no respect for your elders?"

The man sighed. "Riku, detention for the rubber bands. Sora, detention for calling me old."

"But you are old." Sora replied.

"Wanna make it two?" Xigbar asked.

Sora promptly shut up at that.

Ventus sighed from the back of the classroom. They really didn't know how to focus on class anymore did they?

"Sensei." Roxas spoke up. "I don't get what this question is asking could you help me?" He pointed at his sheet of paper causing the older man to come over and bend down to read off the paper. Ventus thought that was a little strange. Roxas never needed help with his homework…whatever. Ven returned his attention to his own homework attempting to focus on that and finish it now so that he could have some free time after school. Then…

"Holy fuck! What was that?" Ven snapped his head up to look at Xigbar who was covering his eye patch with his hand his eyes immediately switched to look at Sora and Riku both of which looked just as shocked as Ven had. And they were on the wrong side to hit the target anyway. His eyes followed the other two's trail to where Vanitas sat calmly writing on his own sheet of homework.

Xigbar gave up cursing every single one of his students to hell and going back to his desk to sit and pout for the rest of the class. Roxas pulled out his notebook and held up the sheet of paper declaring the winner getting a proud smirk from the raven next to him.

Vanitas turned around and winked at Ven causing the blonde to roll his eyes and return his attention to his homework.

-XxX-

"Hey Ventus!" Xion caught up to him as he was leaving his last class of the day and very ready to go home. Vexen-sensei had seriously given them an essay to write practically over night about leaves. Ven wandered how his parents would react if he ended up failing this class.

"Hi Xion…" He greeted the girl with a smile. Well, this actually might lift his spirits a bit, and she was so cute.

"…Um…I-I was…" She looked down at her hands for a moment. "I um…how was your weekend?"

Honestly Ven could think of how to describe his weekend. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have fun at the party. But parts of it made him question how fun exactly. He was stuck between saying either that he'd had fun or that it had been a bit awkward when Vanitas had seemingly come out of nowhere and coughed.

"Hey, Venny." He put an arm around the blonde's shoulders in a way that even Ventus seemed to interpret as slightly possessive. Wait, wouldn't that mean that…Ven shook his head. This so was not happening to him! He chanced a glance at the male next to him catching the slight glare he was shooting Xion. The look disappeared from his face though when he saw that Ven was looking at him and was replaced with a smile.

"Ven, Roxas wanted me to let you know he was going to our house after school. You wanna come with?"

Ventus paused for a moment his mouth open but no words coming out. What if Vanitas really did like him? That would probably explain a lot of his behavior lately, but no matter what Roxas says that does not excuse anything that happened back in grade school…you don't steal your crushes lunch money. Or tear up their homework. Or kick them continuously. Our hit them. Or pinch them. Or pull their hair! Ugh!

"Actually I, um I was just about to ask Xion if I could hang out with her today."

The raven haired male's eyes narrowed just the slightest at that.

"Really, okay!" He released the blonde turning around to walk back the way he came. "Offer stands, if you want you can drop by later." He didn't bother waiting for a reply as he walked away from them.

Ven sighed turning to look at the girl he was previously talking too. "Um…"

She smiled brightly at him. "Actually! I'd love to hang out with you!"

* * *

**NearKunn: Dear gawd! Sorry for the delay. If I were to be honest the reason why this is so late is because A.) Momentary writer's block. B.) It was freakin' hot, I live in a trailer, and my computer puts out quite a bit of heat. C.) I had to sign up for classes and I'm attempting to get a job as a teacher's aid in a preschool. Wish me luck or pray for me. Whichever you prefer. Now on with the wedding!**

**Roxas: Right, I'm still announcer and for various reasons, Axel is hiding in a closet in the back of the church.**

**Sora: GET OUT OF THE CLOSET AXEL!**

**Axel: Fuck you!**

**Roxas: The ceremony is about to begin as the bride's (unofficial) father Demyx is now walking her down the isle! And doesn't she look…interesting…Tsuki-san? What made you think the blood red dress and the stripper heals was a good idea?**

**Tsuki: Stripper heels are Epic. They are perfect for making one's self several inches taller, and they inspire fear into certain individuals. XD And Blood Red is just my favorite color. And I look better in Red than I do White, so there! XP**

**Roxas: Right…okay...so on with the wedding!**

**Xemnas: Now we the church of _Kingdom Hearts_ are gathered here today to join this man *Vani* and this woman *Tsuki* in…matrimony? Um…any objections?**

***the entire congregation raises their hands, Tsuki glares at them and everyone puts their hands down***

**Xemnas: Right then…whatever, I now pronounce you…**

**Demyx: Superior! You're skipping all the good parts!**

**Saix: BE QUIET! *smacks him with a newspaper***

**Demyx: WHY PUPPY? WHY?**

**Xemnas: You're married now, get on with life.**

**Vanitas: Can I have my gift now? *smirking at Ven***

**Ventus: Shit…**

**Sora: REVIEW!**


	13. Going Down From Here

Going Down From Here

* * *

**Celebrate for this is Chapter number thirteen! Happy Chappie Roxy! XD Even if this is one of my most boring chapters.**

**Sorry for the delay guys, but it's all Tsuki's fault cause she begged me to wait. That and I've been pretty damn busy...**

* * *

The glaring contest had lasted a long time at this point. Sora glanced from the two to the clock then back again wandering when or if one of them was going to give up. And as he knew them both better then most people, he had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well and they were definitely about to kill each other.

"Um, hey guys. How about we play a game or something?" He asked. "We can play four player, you don't mind playing right Zexy?"

The blue haired male only looked up from his book for about a second before saying he definitely would NOT want to play.

"I don't feel like playing games with traitors." Vanitas statement his eyes narrowed to practically slits at this point.

"Boo-hoo, whine to someone who gives a shit." Roxas replied narrowing his eyes further back.

"Is this necessary?" Sora asked the two of them sticking his face between them to cut off their field of vision.

Vanitas practically snarled at him for that before huffing and looking away from them sharply.

"So what's the problem this time?" Riku asked sitting on the arm of the couch next to Roxas and looking at the both of them. When Vanitas didn't answer Roxas decided he would.

"Vani's mad 'cause Ven choose to hang out with Xion after school over him." He replied.

"This wouldn't have even happened if you hadn't told Ven that she liked him!" Vanitas snapped at him.

"Who knows he might've chosen you if you'd been nicer to him." The blonde replied with a shrug.

The raven narrowed his eyes again pulling out his phone. "Now what was Namine's number again?...hm…256-4…"

"Don't you dare!" Roxas exclaimed jumping up from his seat and attempting to take the phone away from the older male. "If you tell her anything I will kill you!"

Sora rolled his eyes deciding to just let his best friend and cousin go at it. "Wanna play a round?" He asked Riku motioning to the playstation.

"Sure." He shrugged collapsing on the couch where Roxas was previously though now the blonde was on the floor wrestling the phone away from the older raven and quickly loosing. Aerith came into the room after awhile with Axel the red-head helping her carry the snacks.

"Thank you, Axel!" She stated as they got everything situated.

"No problem Ma'am." He replied with a smile at her.

Sora rolled his eyes. "Watch out Mom, he's not the smartest tool in the shed, but that doesn't seem to stop him from getting just about everyone in his bed."

"Nice rhyme." Zexion commented from his seat.

"Thanks!" The brunette replied but didn't manage anything else as he was grabbing from behind by a certain red-head and forced in a headlock. "See Mom, now he's after me!" Sora exclaimed between breaths as he struggled to get free. "Run Mom! Run away while you can!"

Aerith rolled her eyes at them her hands meeting her hips as she looked at the boys that had invaded her home most of them were wrestling with the exception of Riku who was watching them a controller to the playstation in hand and Zexion who was ignoring everyone in favor of reading a book. Over the years she's become quite used to seeing them all fighting for various reason. Especially when it came to Vanitas and Roxas so she really didn't see a need to break it up. "Just don't break anything okay guys?" She mentioned loud enough for all to hear.

"Okay!" Was the reply that she managed to receive from all of them despite their current struggles.

She rolled her eyes yet again and left the room and only then had Axel finally released Sora. And only after he'd released Sora had he found himself loosing balance due to the two hands that had each grabbed his ankles and pulled. He about kicked Vanitas and Roxas for that as the two were both laughing at him now but they managed to get away having enough of their fight.

"I wouldn't worry too much Van." Sora spoke up finally grabbing his controller to the playstation again. "Unless you actually think that Xion could actually beat you."

"There's no way in hell." The raven snorted. "I'm not loosing Venny to some little vix…"

"That is my sister you're talking about." Zexion reminded him looking up from his book with a glare.

Vanitas smirked at him. "Well, if she didn't want to be my enemy she should've been as smart as the other girl's I've had to chase off over the years and not get close to **my** Ven."

Roxas shot Sora a smile and the brunette got out his wallet to give his blonde best friend ten bucks. "Rox, this is why I never have lunch money." He managed to whisper behind his cousins back.

Roxas took the money. "Then maybe you should gamble a little better."

-XxX-

The two of them walked in silence throughout the town. Ventus couldn't really think of anything to say, and well, Xion he figured was too shy to start the conversation. He believed this to be maybe the most awkward almost date anyone had ever had.

"It looks like it might rain soon." He managed to say finally. Great did the first thing to have to come out of his mouth have to be a comment about the weather. He was so lame…

"Y-yea." She agreed.

He was quiet again at that looking up at the clouds. It kinda looked like a storm too. "Uh, well do you want me to walk you home?" He asked.

She blushed furiously at that. "No, I mean…I'll just…I'll be fine." She smiled at him. "Um…bye!"

With that she was gone and he quite literally facepalmed. He couldn't blame her for wanting to get away from that. He'd run away too if he was in her shoes. He decided he might as well go home too, although he figured Roxas wouldn't come home until much later. He could probably just surf the net or something…he should probably do that essay for Vexen's class now that he really thought about it.

A strong gust of wind blow through ruffling his hair and forcing him to close his eyes and stop moving for a moment. It was also getting kinda cold.

"_You're going to catch a cold, stupid."_

Ventus' eyes widened momentarily at the voice in his head. Why was he thinking about him all of a sudden?

…Maybe Vanitas really did like him? What was he supposed to do if that was the case? Ven wasn't really gay, so…but he'd never had anyone have a real obvious crush on him. And now he had both Xion and Vanitas? Ugh, what the hell? Why was his luck so incredibly horrible.

"Let's get inside before it rains." A woman's voice stated.

"Yea." A male's voice agreed.

Ven watched the couple leave their car at the street locking it and moving to get into the house in front of them. A house he recognized especially in this kind of weather. He watched them as they went inside until the man turned his head to look at him and glared at him with familiar golden eyes. Ven's mouth fell open slightly before he forced himself to recover and move, he hurried away from that house to get home with a renewed determination. Somehow he knew exactly what he'd just seen, and he really didn't like it.

Suddenly he didn't want to go home anymore. So where could he go? Cloud and Zack were preparing for their wedding and bothering them now was out of the question. Vanitas…had said he could drop by later, but he definitely didn't want to face him right now. That left him with one place he could go, and if he knew his friends as well as he thought he did, then he was sure he'd catch the both of them there.

-XxX-

Aqua smiled softly as she bent down beside the couch to run her fingers through the blonde's messy hair. "What's wrong, Ven?"

Ventus groaned a little not wanting to answer her but of course the whole reason he'd gone to Terra's place was to tell them exactly what was going on.

She squeezed his shoulders comfortingly in that motherly way of hers. "C'mon Ven, you can tell us. Who knows, maybe we have enough experience between the two of us to give you some advice."

He raised his head just the tiniest bit to give her a small smile. "I don't know about that."

"Neither will we until you tell us the problem." Terra commented tapping the back of his head lightly with the cold can of soda he was offering the blonde.

Ventus took the drink gratefully smiling at him. "Okay…um…well…" He sighed trying to work out in his brain how to begin this story. "Um, well…I know this guy…and he's…he has bullied me for years, but he's been really nice lately…and um…then there's this girl who likes me, but I think…" He trailed off suddenly realizing just before he said it how full of himself it made him sound.

"What you think he likes the girl too?" Terra asked.

Ven shook his head. "Um…I think…he also likes me."

Terra choked not expecting that to be what he was about to hear he'd taken a drink and now the older brunette was just trying to make sure he wasn't about to die due to a combination of soda and his best friend's talking.

Aqua managed to help him calm down and he managed a nod when Ven asked if he was okay.

"What…" Terra paused to cough a bit. "What makes you think that?" His voice was a little quiet and in a higher pitch then usual due to his previous coughing fit.

Ventus sighed. "Uh, he's…always hanging around me and teasing me."

"Friends do that." Aqua added helpfully.

"And he kissed me."

Terra almost choked again, only this time he wasn't drinking anything. "What?"

Aqua nodded in understanding. "So you're worried because they both like you."

"I guess." He replied. "I don't even know what worries me. Well I mean, I guess that lately I've been thinking about this former bully more like a…friend…but…"

"This does sound like a problem."

"Aqua you're scaring me with how familiar you are to this situation." Terra pointed out.

The blue haired girl sighed before lightly smacking him on the arm. "You lack understanding Terra." She pointed out. "Maybe you should talk to this guy one-on-one. And figure things out."

"Easier said then done…" Ven commented. "You obviously don't know this guy…"

"But I know you, and I know you'll try it anyway." She smiled softly at him. "At least maybe that will clear up some of the confusion you're feeling."

Terra sighed at that. "Honestly Aqua, sometimes I wonder if you don't already know everything."

She smiled and winked at him. "Wanna get something to eat? We can do burgers…well you two can." She offered adding the last part so as to remind her friends that she wasn't about to eat any meat.

"I am absolutely broke right now." Ven replied.

"So am I, that's why we're mooching off Terra!"

* * *

**NearKunn: And now these blurbs are going to go back to something a little more normal.**

**Sora: They were never normal and I doubt they ever will be.**

**Aqua: Wow, it's been awhile since you included Terra and I!**

**NearKunn: I know! I don't even mean to ignore you guys though, cause you're both pretty damn awesome, but I keep getting sidetracked by our main characters and their love-life/families.**

**Roxas: Speaking of; where are our main characters? And Tsuki-san?**

**NearKunn: Honeymoon…**

**Axel: Is it just me, or is it boring without Vani and Tsuki?**

**Riku: You just spent their entire wedding hiding and now you're saying you miss her? The fuck is wrong with you?**

**NearKunn: Good news! Tsuki-san has forgiven Riku for being a hard-to-beat douche-bag/pervert because he was being so fucking awesome in **_**Re: Chain of Memories**_**. Although her impression of Marluxia is still the same and she hates him. My good news…thanks for those of you who cared about my attempt at a job, because I totally got the job! YAY! Now I get to spend three hours a day Monday through Friday with preschoolers!...okay I'm not he best role model, but what can you do…? Now to Sora with more random news.**

**Sora: Hi guys, for those of you who still haven't read **_**What Happens at Summer Camp Stays at Summer Camp**_** by Kuro-Kasai-Tenshi, you will miss out on some hilarious shit. Back to you Sensei!**

**NearKunn: Thanks Sora, and he means it boys and girls, Vani is about to make an appearance in the story. ;)**

**Zexion: We all know how well that's going to end.**

**Demyx: So keep up the good work fans, and REVIEW! We love it when you guys review, we get a mini-dance party every time someone reviews! Who knew Roxas was a terrible dancer…**

**Roxas: Hey!**

**Axel: Aw, Roxy that's okay you're good at other things! ;D**

**Roxas: …**

**Axel: Roxy?**

**Roxas: *walks away***

**Axel: Roxy!**

**NearKunn: See you guys next chapter!**


	14. Finding it Difficult

Finding It Difficult

"You want me to come over right now?" Vanitas asked into his cell-phone as he paced back and forth nervously biting his thumb. "Mom, I…Mom…" He rolled his eyes going quiet as he was ignored. "Okay! Just let me tell Aunt Aerith…" He rolled his eyes again getting interrupted for what seemed the thousandth time since he answered the phone call from his mother. "No that's okay Mom, I can drive myself…Mom!" He glared harshly at the air that made Sora (who had been watching him this whole time) think he was about to growl rather feral-like and attack the nearest living thing. "I'll be over soon, so…" He growled lowly letting Sora know he'd been cut-off again. "Fine!" He snapped suddenly. "I'll be there soon, bye!"

He growled in frustration as he finally managed to hang up and threw his phone at the couch.

"You're going to break that it you keep throwing it all over the place." Sora warned.

The glare redirected itself at him and Sora raised his hands in defense. "Mom and Dad are in town. They want me to join them for dinner."

"You're not moving in yet are you?" The brunette asked looking a little worried.

Vanitas shrugged. "I dunno, I think they wanted to redecorate and settle in before they bring their son back into the picture." He rolled his eyes. "I'm not complaining though, they can take all the time they want."

Sora gave him a small smile. "Hey, maybe they'll take all year and by the time they're done you'll be eighteen!"

"Sora your optimism is something else…" He replied with a sigh. He checked the clock. "Hey when Aerith comes home from work tell her where I went okay?"

"Sure." He replied holding back the sarcastic "have fun" that he would normally tag on the end of a conversation like this. Somehow he figured Vanitas just wasn't in the mood.

-XxX-

Vanitas opened the door to his "home" wandering if it was just cold hearted irony that made it seem that it always rained when he came here. Well, the last time wasn't too bad. He'd had Ventus there with him and that seemed to make it a little easier to breathe in this stuffy old house.

"Vanitas! Is that you?" His mother's voice called from another room.

"Yea." He answered stuffing his keys into his pocket and following the sound of that voice that he was hearing in person for the first time since that night eleven years ago. Although he seemed to not have to as he just about ran into her in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Vani!"

He stared at her for a long moment. Strange, she used to be so much taller. Now he was taller then her.

"You've grown so much!" She gave him a hug but her arms didn't hold you quite right he noticed. They didn't squeeze or feel warm. It just felt like…hugging a tree. Its branches touching you but never really embracing you.

He swallowed hard. "Well it has been eleven years." He replied.

She smiled an empty smile at him as she released him. He watched her hands closely as she did wanting to keep an eye on them. She didn't even look him in the eye. This was a constant, that cold and distant feeling underneath that made his skin crawl. This was something that he remembered well and something that hadn't changed over these years apart.

Now that he watched her he realized he didn't really look a thing like his mother. He didn't look much like his Dad either with the exception of his unusual gold eyes. That seemed to be the only real proof that he actually was their son.

"Vanitas." Another cold voice from yet another deeply unemotional person.

He knew his Father wasn't about to bother hugging him like his mother had, and a part of him was thankful for that.

"Dinner's about ready." His mother commented suddenly with another smile.

His Dad returned it to her and he felt even colder in that room.

"Did you drive yourself Vanitas?" His Dad asked suddenly looking out the window as his son's car.

"Yea."

"You should lock your doors." He stated. "We saw some delinquents the other day hanging around our house."

"Delinquents?" He asked knowing his father was most likely overreacting to a curious passerby.

"Yes, you're father said he scared him off easily though, but he was apparently looking at the house." His mother chimed in.

"Right." He replied letting the topic slide. He just wanted this to be over with as soon as possible. He wanted to go **home**.

-XxX-

Vanitas had quickly learned how to do things on his own. He wouldn't ask for his parents help in anything, knowing it only ended badly for him. He taught himself to read mostly though he still had some trouble. He cleaned up after himself; he was potty trained very well thank you. And sometimes, he would even have to make his own food. Because there was one thing this five year old could understand better then anything else, and that was that he could not bother his parents. If he asked for their help he would get scolded for being in the way.

Beyond that, this five year old didn't seem to have the same mind sets as the other kids in his Kindergarten class he noticed. As they spoke they said things like "I love…" And that was something he didn't understand. In a small way he did. He loved books? He loved that small chess set that he would play with sometimes. And then a kid in his class said something he really didn't understand. "I love you."

A girl had said it to him one day. He knew her from preschool to, but to be honest he'd never spoken to her. Or really anyone else in his class. He would avoid them when they were playing and ignore them when they were working in class. But she stopped in front of his desk one day before they were going home and she said it. She said to him: "Vanitas, I love you!" Any other boy would think of that as cute or gross. He just felt confused.

"Why? I don't love you. What is that even supposed to mean?"

She thought about it for a moment not quite understanding all of what he'd just said. "Um…"

"Exactly. Unless you know what that means, you shouldn't say stupid things like that."

"I'm not stupid!" She stomped her foot angrily. She understood that.

"Then tell me what it means to love a person." He challenged. When she didn't respond he sighed and left not bothering to listen to anything else she had to say. After that the school started calling home to tell on him to his parents although he didn't understand why that was. His parents would scold him for not being able to get along with the other kids well. And they would say stuff about him being antisocial and in need of help. That would always piss his father off. The man would yell for hours at Vanitas about something he didn't understand. Eventually Vanitas himself told his father that he didn't understand these so called "allegations" the school was making let alone what that word even meant.

He decided that night after getting hit with the dictionary that he shouldn't ask what things meant anymore.

Vanitas' teacher noticed the bruise on his forehead the next-day and asked what had happened. After he explained it to her he was sent home and his parents received another phone call from the school. He soon came to figure out on his own that he wasn't going back to that school when he was stuck in his room for the next three weeks.

He did complain just once over that time. He asked them if they forgot to eat one day after he realized he hadn't really eaten anything in two days. He never complained about anything like that again when his father had decided to feed him that night.

He'd meet those people that his Mother and Father called his Aunt and Uncle one day. It was a weird day that time. His Aunt kept helping him without him even having to ask this "Aunt" would get him something to drink give him a good portion of food and she picked him up. He didn't know what to do when she did that, but he decided not to say anything with his parents watching him. He didn't want to get hurt again. Although for a brief moment he thought that if he asked his Dad why Aerith had hugged him…would his Dad throw Aerith at him too?

She smiled at him in a way he'd never seen before and she hugged him and held him. Aerith practically spent all that evening spoiling him and that other kid that was there. He was told that was his "cousin" Sora. When he asked his Uncle if he was supposed to call him "cousin" or "Sora" but instead of anything getting thrown at him, his Uncle just laughed. He then asked why that was so funny and instead of answering his Uncle told his Aunt what he'd said and she also laughed. He refrained from asking if he'd unintentionally made a joke. He didn't want to push it. They might get mad and hurt him.

He didn't see them after that for a long while. He spent the rest of his time in his room. At one point he realized that he couldn't get the door open and spent the next three days alone in his room. The light wouldn't turn on either and it was so dark at times… He wouldn't climb onto his bed anymore he just slept mostly on the floor in a corner watching the room as if something would come out of the darkness that engulfed it whenever the sun went down.

He was let out eventually and that day while his parents were at work he made sure to sneak some food from the kitchen and hide it in his corner under the pile of blankets he'd made to sleep on. Just in case he was ever stuck in there again. It wasn't until a week later when his Dad threatened him for spilling his drink that he realized he'd been purposefully locked in his room.

And one day he cried. He wasn't sure why. He couldn't tell you from memory why it was he started crying. His Dad took him back to the room that he'd eventually come to see as a place that was balanced on the fine line between heaven and hell. He was told to shut up, but he couldn't. He wanted to listen. He wanted to stop crying to curl up in his corner and let his father leave him there alone. In his sanctuary and his prison. He didn't even stop due to the shock from the slap he'd received. He wasn't at all surprised in the end that his father had hit him again at all.

His senses began to dull eventually; he didn't even seem to register the hits anymore. But he knew he was still crying. That much he knew. He blacked out.

He woke up in the same area he'd passed out in; he was right next to his bed. The light coming in through his window showed that it was sometime in the day. He pulled himself up using the bed as leverage and walked a little wobbly to the door finding it locked again. This time it stayed that way for a week. He was counting.

When the door opened again, it was his mother's face he saw to his relief. She never hurt him like his father. In fact, she never did much of anything at all.

"Vanitas…"

He shivered slightly then. The voice was so empty. Like a robot, it scared him in a way. "M-mom…"

"C'mon Vanitas. It's time to go. Say goodbye."

He looked around trying to figure out what she meant by that. It was the middle of the night where was he going. Who was he saying goodbye to?

"C'mere Vanitas." She smiled. He looked her in the eye. There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing. And it seemed to all hit him somehow. He always knew it, but it was just at the back of his mind. This was not how people were supposed to act. Father's weren't supposed to throw things at their children and hit them. Mother's weren't supposed to look like they had no…

Love.

No love whatsoever for the boy they brought into the world. No one else looked so distant as his mother and father. They had no love. No emotions whatsoever. They only cared about themselves.

"Where are we going?" He asked shyly not moving off of his bed to go near her. Not until he was sure what was happening. He felt scared as she moved into the room coming towards him. More scared then he had ever felt.

"Just you, Vani." She replied brushing some of his black hair away from his face. She spent about a minute just running her fingers through his hair before her hands moved lower and clenched onto his shoulders tightly. "You're going to go away now."

She didn't give him even enough time for the words to sink in when her hands wrapped tightly around his throat. He knew he wasn't breathing. He knew that that was a bad thing. He panicked and tried to get her to stop but he couldn't. It felt like he was trying to hear through water after a moment and he could dimly see the wide smile on her face. Her eyes for once lit up with something that he couldn't explain.

He managed to breathe again when his Father came in and dragged the woman off of him. He senses cleared up as he sucked in air his Mother was over by the door now looking angry. His father glared at him and he that scared feeling he'd had earlier intensified. His father dragged him up by the arm and walked the young black haired boy barely keeping up with him and praying that he wouldn't loose balance.

He was shoved in the backseat of the car that he hadn't been in since the last time he'd left home to visit his Aunt and Uncle. They drove for awhile sometimes in circles and he caught bits of the conversation his parents were having.

"…we can't take the brat with us. You told him we didn't have any children!"

"I know, but you can't kill him. We'll get in trouble for that."

"So what are we going to do with him?"

"We just have to get rid of him."

Vanitas was too scared to speak up or do anything but sit there in the backseat of his parent's car dumbly listening to them. They wanted him dead? Parents weren't supposed to be like that! They were supposed to be like the parents he'd seen his classmates have! Like his Aunt and Uncle! Why him? Why did he have to have parents like this!

They were saying it too, so he realized it must be true. His parents would've been better off if he'd never been born. Maybe he would've too.

The car stopped suddenly and his Dad got out. Vanitas waited until his door opened and he was pulled out roughly yet again and walked up to the door of a building he kind of recognized but at the moment nothing seemed to register in his mind anymore. "Wait there." He ordered simply before walking back to the car and the two of them drove off. Just like that he felt the last bit of his sanity crumble. He rang the doorbell not crying. Nothing. No emotion. Vanitas had no emotion. He was antisocial and he didn't get along with other people well.

His uncle answered the door at three am to find a five year old standing on his doorstep with empty eyes. No matter what happened after that Vanitas had never told his Aunt and Uncle what happened or why they left him there like that. Or why his neck was bruised.

He started Kindergarten for a second time at a new school. This was one where his Aunt Aerith taught. He had spent all his time since moving in with his Aunt and Uncle quietly. They tried to talk to him, but he didn't listen. Although he did eat and drink. His Aunt seemed to have endless amounts of patience when it came to him but he wasn't going to tell her what happened.

"Ow!"

Vanitas looked at the kid that he'd run into a moment before. A mess of blonde hair was looking down as he seemed to be trying to figure out how he fell. He left before the poor kid could even bother looking up.

It was when that same boy was sitting right next to him at one of the tables they were using to draw on that he felt everything start to change. His bright blue eyes were traveling around the room and from the little glimpse Vanitas had of them he felt almost dizzy. He wanted to look at that again and figure out why that happened but the blonde boy just looked down at his paper again. He desperately wanted to see those eyes again. He ripped up the paper for his homework using that to get the attention of the other male.

It worked! "What?" He asked as soon as that gaze met his again. It was amazing. He could see something that he just couldn't see in everyone else. Those eyes that filled with curiosity and a million other emotions that made his head spin. No one else had that. No one else was so obvious about their feelings, and Vanitas **loved** it.

* * *

**NearKunn: Long chapter is long~!**

**Sora: Evil parents are evil~!**

**Vanitas: Bored Sensei is bored~!**

**Roxas: Stop that. Now.**

**Vanitas: Venny look! See I'm not a bad guy! Now fucking sleep with me!**

**Ventus: *facepalm***

**NearKunn: Yea, this chapter is pretty damn long (for me). I got carried away this time. I'm contemplating putting in Vani's dinner with his parents too in the next chapter. But I still have no idea what they're going to say to each other…And OMIGOD SORRY VEN! I left you out for most of this chapter and the only part you are in seems to be a flashback! But I still love you! :D**

**Ventus: …I don't doubt that…*sweatdrop***

**NearKunn: So my dear wittle pumpkins! Please leave reviews. I wrote Vanitas' damn story, it's the least you can do.**

**Tsuki: Very true, I'm still somewhat surprised by how seemingly few Peeps are even looking at the Summer Camp story, its like they don't care anymore. DX On a different note, didya Miss me? :3**

**Vanitas: Yes.**

**Ventus: You were with her.**

**Vanitas: So?**

**Riku: Axel missed you! :)**

**Tsuki: REALLY? :D *fangirl mode***

**Axel: ... :) *Runs away***

**Tsuki: XD *chases***

**NearKunn: Alright! Tsuki-chan it's been awhile since I've asked you to do this, so please beg my fans to review for me?**

**Roxas: Why can't you do it?**

**NearKunn: She does it better.**

**Tsuki: *comes back with Axel, a random rope keeping him from running away again as he claws at the floor* No Prob Lilly-chan~! OKAY PEEPS! LISTEN UP! Review, its an epic story which deserves recognition in the payment form of Reviews. The more reviews, the happier she is, the happier I am, the better the AkuRoku and VanVen sex lifes are. SO DO IT OR FACE MY HALLOWEEN INFLUNCED WRATH! :D *Girlish Giggle***

**NearKunn: Oh and if you want AkuRoku, I've got another VanVen story out called Bit by Bit. And they is going to be AkuRoku accompanying it once it takes off.**

**Ventus: *sighs***

**NearKunn: Now say goodbye!**

**Tsuki: Bye-bye~!**


	15. I Bet They'll Kiss

I Bet They'll Kiss

Sora stared up at the ceiling completely bored. Vanitas was still at his parents house and his Mom had gone to some function, that he didn't really care enough about to know exactly where she was. He texted Roxas for awhile but of course homework suddenly became more important then Sora and he figured he was the only one in the world who could get jealous over someone else's homework. He was about to get up and find something to eat when he heard a knock at the door. He did not hesitate to rush over and answer it though.

"Ven?"

The blonde smiled a little nervously. "Hey, Sora."

"What's up? Roxas is at home y'know."

"Yea, actually um…I was…looking for Vanitas." He corrected rubbing the back of his neck slightly and blushing a bit.

Sora smiled at that. "Well he's actually out right now."

"Oh…" Ven looked down a bit. "Really, yea…I should've figured. Um…"

"Was it important?" The brunette's smile intensified at the atmosphere. Really this was just **too** good.

"Um, a little. I uh…not really important, but um…well actually yea…"

Sora decided to stop the poor guys rambling before he hurt himself. "Well you can wait for him. He's been gone for a good while so he should be back soon."

"You sure?"

"Yea totally. Don't worry about intruding or anything." He added after the blonde had come in finally looking about the house for signs of anyone. "Everyone's out."

"Okay."

He smiled again. "Chill here. I'll get some drinks. Hey maybe we can play some games while we wait. I like playing with you since you suck at them."

Ven gave the brunette a look before rolling his eyes. "Sure, but I'll warn you Roxas has been teaching me."

Sora laughed. "Yea, but Roxas sucks too." He added as he left him in the living room to go to the kitchen where he immediately pulled out his phone.

_Rox, I bet you twenty bucks right now that Vani and Ven kiss tonight_

_-Sora_

As he waited for the blonde to reply he pulled out two sodas from the fridge.

_You're on. Why the bet?_

_-Roxas_

'_Cause you're brother's at my house -right now- waiting for Vanitas to come back from dinner with his parents_

_-Sora._

_You're serious? Damn…_

_That doesn't mean they'll kiss._

_-Roxas_

_That's why were betting._

_-Sora_

_Whatever, I want proof of the results._

_-Roxas_

_Kay I'll send you a picture WHEN I catch them kissing._

_-Sora_

_P.S. prepare to pay up! BETCH!_

He figured when he didn't receive a reply from the blonde that he was being ignored again. He rolled his eyes as he made himself a sandwich and decided to text Vanitas as well.

-XxX-

It was pretty quiet between the three of them as they were eating dinner. Although Vanitas only picked at his food as he was trying to stop himself from shivering but that only seemed to make him shake.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" His mother asked suddenly setting down her fork and knife. He watched her closely. "You're shaking and you haven't eaten much."

"I'm cold. And I guess I don't feel well." He replied in complete honesty. "It's probably the weather." This time he was lying.

"I forgot what it was like to be living so close to the ocean." She replied looking out the window. "I know the beaches are about an hour away, but we still get the same weather huh?"

He nodded but stayed quiet. His mother seemed so sweet and casual right now, but he knew better. He knew what she was really like.

"How's your Aunt?" His father asked suddenly. "She owns a store doesn't she?"

"She's fine." He replied. "She runs a flower shop in town."

"How was it your Uncle died again?" His mother asked. "And how long has it been? A couple years?"

"Nine years." He corrected her. "And he died in a car accident."

"How old's your cousin now?"

"Sora's fifteen."

"Does he take after his parents? That'd be a shame of course. Such a young mind wasted."

"It's not wasted." Vanitas looked up at his Dad. "He wants to be a lawyer like his Dad and there's nothing wrong with that."

"Vanitas…"

"I should get back. It's getting late and I've still got homework." The raven stood up at the table taking note of the buzz in his pants indicating that he had a text.

"Vanitas!" His mother's voice stopped him in the doorway. "There was something else we wanted to talk to you about."

"You want me to move back in?" He asked.

"Yes." She replied. "And…well Vani…" Her hands as they grabbed onto his arm felt so small and yet so cold making him want to shiver all the more. "I wanted to ask what you think about becoming a big brother?"

Vanitas froze up for a moment he turned around to look at his mother's face. She was smiling at him again with that same empty smile. His father looked angry, most likely because he stood up for Sora. But, these people want to be parents again? What in the hell changed to make them think they could ever handle something like that. As if they didn't screw up bad enough the first time, now she was pregnant again and some stupid mother fucker was about to put another child in their hands for them to fuck up.

"I have to go." He said again pulling his arm away from his mother's grasp and heading out the door into the rain. He drove away from there as soon as he could, he couldn't stay much longer. Stopping at a red-light he pulled out his phone hoping it was one of his dumb friends with a dumb distraction. Anything would be great. He had two texts he noticed one from Sora and one from Axel.

_Dude, tell me when you're on your way back! It's super important!_

_-Sora_

_Do you have any fireworks? Dem has an idiot idea and I really wanna see him do it. XD_

_-Axe-man_

Vanitas rolled his eyes letting the idiots calm him down a moment before texting Sora back to tell him he was on his way. He didn't take long to reach his house from there letting himself speed more then usual. He really needed to forget these stupid little troublesome things. He noticed his Aunt's missing car as he went up to the front door opening it finding it unlocked. Of course Sora wouldn't lock the door.

"Hey Sor…"

"YES! Take that fucker!" Sora exclaimed from over at the couch.

The raven looked at the two on the couch including that familiar head of blonde hair. If it had been less gold and more yellowish he would've thought it was Roxas and that wouldn't be so unusual of a sight to see.

"Sora!" Ventus complained giving him a look as his screen blacked to show that his player was dead. "That wasn't fair! We're on the same team y'know!"

"Yea, but I'm going for traitor this round!" He replied with a broad smile.

"Now, what're you kiddies doing?" Vanitas asked finally leaning over the back of the couch to get their attentions and causing Ventus to blush at him.

"Hey Van. Ven came over looking for you so I told him he could wait here." Sora replied acting as if he didn't notice his cousin grabbing the blonde's wrist and dragging him off the couch and up the stairs. He only paused the game after he heard the raven's bedroom door close and ran up the stairs as quietly as possible after them. He was really hoping to win this one. He didn't exactly have twenty bucks to pay Roxas if he lost…

-XxX-

"Um…Vanitas…" Ven shifted a little next to the raven. He went back in his mind to figure out how he ended up in this position. Sora had said that he was there, then Vanitas had grabbed him and dragged him up the stairs of the house and to the same bedroom that he'd managed to spill water on himself in and end up in some compromising positions with the very boy that was currently sitting next to him on the bed and hugging him.

Okay now that his brain had caught up to the current situation he had to panic a little. Why was Vanitas hugging him like this? This was completely out-of-character for the usual jackass.

Vanitas breathed a sigh of relief as warm hands, hands so different from his Mother's scary ones gripped onto his arms.

"Your arms are cold."

Vanitas nuzzled his face into the blonde's neck. "Why're you always so warm?"

The two stayed quiet for a long moment, Ven wasn't sure exactly what to do. But he thought he felt something a little wet on his shoulder so he remained silent. This was so the opposite of why he'd come here today…

"What'd you want?" Vanitas asked sounding normal but he didn't move away from where he was hiding his face. Vanitas gave himself another minute to calm down and get everything back in check before looking up. All those feelings rushing out like that. It just wasn't something he was used to, and it only seemed to explode the moment he found out Ven was there for him. God he really felt like punching himself for feeling so happy about that.

Ven bit his lip avoiding the golden eyes as Vanitas finally looked up. "It's nothing important." He lied dismissing his actual reason for being here. "Actually I was just worried about our art project."

"Yea, Demyx is probably blowing that off." The raven assured him smirking a bit. He could feel himself calming down faster now.

"Right…" He replied. "Uh, I guess I should go then…"

The moment the words left hid\s lips he felt Vanitas' grip on his wrist tugging just the slightest to rely the message that he wasn't allowed to leave yet. "You came all the way to my house, and waited for me to come home to ask about an art project?"

"I'm prioritizing?" He offered knowing that his lie had not gone unnoticed.

"Did you miss me?" Van asked. "We saw each other earlier today didn't we? That's so cute Venny!" He pulled the blonde into a hug smiling wider as Ven struggled to get out of his grip denying it. He was probably blushing too. "That's okay, I missed you too."

Ven stopped struggling at that feeling himself getting squeezed slightly against the raven's chest.

"Vanitas…" Ventus began somewhat getting his nerve back about the reason he was here. Especially now that he was acting more like himself.

"Hm?"

The blonde pushed himself up and away from Vanitas just the slightest. Enough to get out of the odd embrace and to look him in the eye. His face was relaxed and bored, but there was something in his eyes that was screaming, and it almost made him loose his nerve again. "Do you…like me?"

He blinked and tilted his head in confusion for a second staring back into those blue eyes for any sign that he wasn't serious, but he knew he was. Ven would never joke about something like this. And that was exactly why he didn't want to answer this question. He suddenly felt more like a human being then he'd ever felt in his entire life. The nerves were overwhelming he felt almost nauseous.

"Sorry, I'll just go now…" Ven finished seeing that Vanitas looked a little sick. This was a bad time he shouldn't have asked that. He tried to stand but the grip on his arm tightened. He looked back at Vanitas about to say something about the almost painful grip on his wrist but the words didn't leave his mouth before his mouth was met with the raven's own in a gentle touch. The kiss more gentle then the one in the car that first time or the one before the race…and the underlining of emotion in it…It was almost as if all of Vanitas' emotions were pouring from his heart and through his mouth…Vanitas was the first to pull away and the hand left his wrist.

It hadn't been forced and it felt so…

Ven stood up immediately. "I'll see you later." He added not sure even why he said that before he hurried out of the raven's room and down the stairs.

"Leaving already?" Sora asked from where he was sitting on the couch.

"Yea, homework. I'll see you tomorrow." He shot him a half-hearted smiled as he went out the door and walked as fast as he could back to his own home.

_Pay Up._

_-Sora_

_Options: __**Reply. Delete. Open attached photo.**_

* * *

**NearKunn: Dear Lord we are about to break two hundred. TWO HUNDRED REVIEWS GUYS! Also it just kinda clicked in my mind that last chapter was Vanitas' story and it was also chapter 14 aka chapter Xion who in this story, Vanitas hates. Weird huh?**

**Vanitas: It's a fucking enigma. Now what about two hundred reviews?**

**NearKunn: Oh just that I love everyone who reads this story. Especially my reviewers, because this story has officially become my most popular story here on . The most favs, the most alerts, and now the most REVIEWS! Now excuse me while I treat this like a commercial, but if you act now and leave a review for me pushing the reviews over TWO HUNDRED! Then I may hopefully upload something special for you guys between Vani and Veni within the next two chapters. Also a free cookie for everyone who tried to click "open attached photo" from Sora's last text to Roxas just to see the VanVen amazingness.**

**Ventus: WHAT? No, you can't just sell me for reviews! What are you insane?**

**NearKunn: Yes.**

**Ventus: …**

**Vanitas: C: Reviews?**

**Sora: So what else did we have on the agenda for today?**

**Roxas: Do you even know what "agenda" means or are you just repeating a sentence you heard a business man say?**

**Sora: I'M NOT THAT STUPID!**

**NearKunn: Anything you want to say Tsuki-chan?**

**Tsuki: Not much, just that I can't wait to break 200. More stuff for us to celebrate this weekend. ;3**

**NearKunn: I hope that its as dirty as I'm taking it or otherwise one of us is gunna be disappointed. ;)**

**Sora: I feel a little creeped out right now.**

**NearKunn: um...I don't really have much left to say. Just that I absolutely live it when people who read and comment on this story read/review my other stories. And have a yaoi-full night!**

**Tsuki: Bye-Bye~! *Waves***


	16. A Party is a Party, Sadly

A Party is a Party, Sadly

* * *

NearKunn: MY INTERNET IS BACK! XDDD I just wish that was the reason this was so late... :3 *noms computer*

Roxas: Sensei, we really need to stop letting you have sugar before noon.

* * *

The way Ven and Van had avoided each other had not gone unnoticed by Roxas. He watched them every chance he got as they didn't even look at each other let alone ever have something close to one of their usual arguments. There was nothing playful in their banter today as there was a lack of that very banter that assured him they were finally getting close to achieving that happiness he so wished for his brother and the idiot he considered a friend.

They were so stupid sometimes.

He sighed leaning against his locker in boredom. Maybe it was just his off-mood to the completely obvious "one-step forward, two steps back" syndrome that both Ventus and Vanitas suffered from greatly, but it just seemed like today was too mundane. Like everything was in black and white and no one spoke in a voice louder than a whisper. Like the sun was hiding behind an endless row of clouds that didn't mean to wield any rain whatsoever. Maybe it was just the change of seasons from a lively summer to a most serene fall getting to him. It pissed him off and made him want to just yell out profanities in the school hallway.

Of course he really hoped that was something he wouldn't have to end up doing but if he could play the insane card maybe that would get some kind of reaction out of everyone.

"Hey Roxas."

"What's up Dem?" The blonde replied smiling at Demyx as the male came over to distract him. "How'd the experiment go last night?"

Demyx pulled up his sleeve a little bit to show the bandage on his arm. "I'm no longer allowed to have fireworks anywhere near Axel." He smiled. "I could barely convince my Mom that I was the one who lit the firework and not Axel so that she wouldn't ban me from hanging out with him."

"Did you?"

"Hell no. He definitely set me the fuck on fire. And I'm so getting back at him."

"Does everyone here just have a friendship built on pissing contests?" Sora asked having come up out of the blue.

"Most likely." Roxas admitted.

"You guys seen Axel yet?" Sora asked finally leaning against the locker next to Roxas and holding out his hand in the universal sign of "pay up loser."

"No." Roxas admitted sticking the twenty dollar bill in his best friends waiting hand. "Why?"

"Par-tey~! His Dad's going out of town and his wonderful Father has a house in the country." The brunette informed them. "He's throwing a shindig. It will most likely contain booze and probably drunken nuddies. Who's up?

"'Nuddies'?" Roxas repeated. "Did you make that word up on your own?"

"Why yes actually I did." He replied. "C'mon the best part about a country party is there are no neighbors to call the cops if things get too loud. And I'm pretty sure Vanitas is going."

Roxas smiled suddenly. Oh **that** brought all those colors back. "Sora, you made my day."

"Aw shucks man, that's what I'm here for!" The brunette replied smiling back.

-XxX-

"Shut up you fucking bit…"

_Slam._

Ventus didn't bother to roll his eyes anymore as he and Roxas left the house. The younger blonde had convinced him to go somewhere to get away from all the noise at home since their parents were fighting again. It was their anniversary and tonight they were going out and weren't coming back until sometime tomorrow. He seriously wandered if they could manage to go that long without fighting.

"Is that what you're wearing?" Riku raised an eyebrow at Roxas as the two boys got into the backseat of the car next to Zexion who looked like he would rather be anywhere but here right now.

"Well I'm not exactly going with the purpose of picking up guys." Roxas replied.

"Dude its sad when Ven dresses with more fashion then our resident fairy." He replied.

"I can and will destroy you y'know."

"Where are we going?" Ventus asked suddenly reaching for the door just in case.

"Lock it!" Zexion growled. "I swear to God if I'm not getting out of this, neither is Ven."

"Getting out of what?" He sat back as the doors locked on him and he hurried to put on his seatbelt while Riku was putting the car in gear. "Roxas?"

"We're just going for a drive." Roxas assured him.

"And then, a party!" Demyx exclaimed from the passenger seat.

"What? Roxas!"

-XxX-

"HAS ANYONE EVER DONE RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTS OF ACHOHOL ON YOUR EAR DRUMS?" Ventus yelled as they entered the country house.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Roxas replied with a shrug. "VEN THIS IS A PARTY! GO HAVE FUN!"

"I REALLY DON'T WANT TO!"

"OKAY, WELL I'M DITCHING YOU TO GO GET DRUNK AND FIND SORA! HOPEFULLY NOT IN THAT ORDER!" He informed him.

"HOW IN HELL ARE YOU THE FAVORITE?"

-XxX-

Vanitas was just kinda cruising from one room to the next. With his phone in hand. He contemplated texting Ven at one point but he wasn't sure how that would go. He was actually too scared to find out. Vanitas was scared of his Venny? What was wrong with this world? He shoved his phone back in his pocket, avoided at least two girls' advances and downed one can of beer which was disgusting by the way, he much preferred the good stuff before he found his cousin again who was now sitting with Roxas. "Hey kids, I'm taking off."

"What?" Roxas sat up suddenly.

"What 'what'?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the blonde.

Roxas looked at Axel who had just come in the room.

The red-head smiled at him and ran his fingers through his hair. It was the agreed symbol for mission accomplished.

Roxas smiled at Vanitas relaxing back into his seat. "Nothing."

Sora rolled his eyes and started laughing burying his face in Roxas' neck. "That was hilarious! He fell for it!"

"How drunk are you guys?" Vanitas asked them.

They didn't answer him just kinda giggled.

"Do I need to stay and take you guys home?" He asked.

They both shook their heads before once again returning to a fit of giggles.

"Don't worry; I was brought as designated driver." Zexion spoke up. "Very much against my will, but every time I tried to run Demyx would guilt trip me…"

Vanitas smirked a little before looking at his cousin and his cousin's best friend. "Keep an eye on them will ya?"

"Sure." The blue haired male replied with a shrug.

"I'm out! See you kids later." He waved at them as he headed for the door.

"Hopefully not." Roxas stated quietly as he watched the older male leave. Once he saw Vanitas get out the door he sat up again and looked at Axel expectedly. "You did make sure he's still in there right?"

Axel sighed. "Damn Roxas, I'm pretty sure Ventus doesn't even know how to open a door right now."

"How drunk did you get him?" Sora asked raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't think he'd get that bad…he's a real lightweight though…although…well…"

"Well?" Roxas asked expectantly.

"I think he may have…gotten drugged…"

Blue eyes became cold and glaring as the blonde looked at him. "What did you do to my brother…you…"

"I didn't do anything!" Axel denied holding up his hands in defense. "I was getting him drunk, like you told me. I swear, I only left him alone for like a minute…or five…but I came back and he was fine…just…a little…drugged up…I think I scared the pervert away though before anything could happen."

"You left my naïve older brother alone at a party with a bunch of perverts?" He exclaimed.

"Dude c'mon you should know better. Guys like Ventus and Roxas are attractive enough to captivate a bunch of horny pervs." Sora spoke up making the seething blonde next to him flush red suddenly. "They're jailbait!" He smiled.

"That's _so_ not funny Sora!" Roxas yelled.

"Kinda was." Zexion replied.

"Fuck you!"

"Look, the point was to get a drunken Ventus in Vani's car. And I can honestly say I succeeded. I left him in the passenger seat and he was so fucking out of it that he was cuddling up to himself and I'm pretty sure he sniffed the seat. He's damn lucky Vanitas has dibs, 'cause that was fucking hot as hell."

Roxas jumped out of his seat ready to spring on the red-head only to get grabbed around the waist from behind by Sora as the brunette urged Axel to run away while he had the chance.

Axel took that chance.

-XxX-

Vanitas made an attempt at unlocking his car only to find that it had been unlocked in the first place. His already borderline sour mood turned sour. He was officially giving up on trusting Sora to lock his car for him. That privilege was hereby taken away from his cousin. He opened the door and bent down only barely when he caught sight of someone sitting in his car. He jumped out and was about ready to demand this intruder to get out of his car when he saw that it was none other then Ventus.

Ventus who looked half asleep. And was cuddling up against the seat.

"Ven?"

Ven's head snapped up almost too fast for his drunken mind to keep up and he about fell out of his seat. He was only barely saved from that by a couple of strong hands catching him.

"Ven what the hell…"

Ventus hummed slumping against the other male's body. "You smell really good."

Vanitas growled a little. "I'm sure, you smell like you just drank every type of alcohol know to man kind. What did you drink?"

He shrugged. "Whatever was in that cup Axel gave me…he said it was nonalcoholic."

"I bet he did." He mumbled. "He didn't touch you did he Ven?"

"Uh no~!" Ven laughed a little. "You're silly why would I let him touch me…although he did help me get here…where am I?" He jumped up again looking around the car. "A boat!" Ventus soon digressed into a fit of giggles.

Vanitas sighed… "Maybe I should go find Roxas." He commented getting ready to head back inside but he felt to hands grasp his arm.

"Don't go…"

"You've gotta be kidding me…Ven…shit…" Blue eyes were staring into his although they were a little clouded over with the effects of the alcohol the blonde looked serious. He didn't want to be left alone. He sighed yet again freeing his arm from the blonde and sitting right in the driver's seat shutting his door. "Get your seatbelt on."

"Ay ay Captain!" Ven said with a salute before attempting to find his seatbelt.

After a moment Vanitas rolled his eyes and helped him get buckled in. He turned on the car the roar of the engine causing Ventus to jump a little. The blonde relaxed into the seat not a moment later seeming to start falling asleep. "Hm, Vani…"

"Yea?" Vanitas asked as he pulled out of the driveway from the party and back onto a main road that would lead back in town.

"I like you."

* * *

**NearKunn: Well…that was disappointing…I was on a roll! I wrote three-fourths of this chapter in like two hours! And then I just stopped…I was having trouble figuring out how to end this chapter just right to lead it into the next chapter which is going to be a little more risqué.**

**Sora: Drunk Ventus is drunk.**

**Vanitas: Horny Van is Horny.**

**Roxas: We are _not_ starting this again.**

**Ventus: …I get the feeling I'm about to see my innocence fly out the window…**

**Aqua: There, there *pats his head***

**NearKunn: Sorry Tsuki-chan! I know you're not in this ending, but it's already late enough as it is, and I don't want any infants to die!**

**Sora: Why is it so late?**

**NearKunn: Um…well…you see…it's partially late, cause I lost the internet on my computer for awhile, and it's also partially late, because I spent a month obsessing over Pandora Hearts manga, because it can't seem to go a chapter without killing my brain. But it's mostly late cause I'm lazy.**

**Roxas: Way to be honest Sensei.**

**NearKunn: But with 217 or 18 or 19(?) reviews! You awesome reviews get a special scene next chapter and we get: DANCE PARTY! Take it away Demy-kins!**

**Demyx: DANCE CHARACTERS DANCE!**

**Zexion: Kill me. Kill me now.**


	17. The Closer To Comfort

The Closer to Comfort

"What was that?" Vanitas asked in slight disbelief.

"What was what?" Ven mumbled.

"No, what did you just say?"

"I dunno. What did you say?" He replied giggling a little.

"C'mon Venny, we can play games later please can you be serious long enough to…"

"Van I don't feel so good."

"Oh God…"

-XxX-

"Where are your parents?" Vanitas asked as he half dragged Ven into his house looking around nervously. He'd heard enough from Roxas and Sora to know that it'd get bad if their parents knew they were out getting drunk rather then studying.

"They won't be back til tomorrow." He slurred a little tiredly. "Vani~! Take me to bed!"

Vanitas tried not to think of that sexually but that seemed rather impossible when the giggling blonde next to him realized what he'd said and thought that it was incredibly funny.

"Hey, Vani. If you like me so much how come you wouldn't talk to me today?" He asked as they were somehow managing to climb the stairs sloppily. Vanitas was trying really hard to not let the blonde fall down the stairs. That could prove to be bad.

"Huh?" He asked trying to figure out which room was Ven's. Luckily there was a sign on the door indicating that it was Ven's room and that made his job at least ten times easier.

"I was really bored~!"

"Of course you were." He led him into the room which was pretty much how he expected it to be. His dirty laundry thrown into a corner of the room on the floor. His computer was left on, but there were no windows open. And his bed was made up ergo a little sloppily but that was how Vanitas expected it to be. Ventus' room was just ordered chaos, much like his personality. It was kinda cute in a way.

He took the blonde over to the bed sitting him down but Ven just took the opportunity to lay back onto his back. "It's so soft!"

"Bed's tend to be like that y'know. Look if you've got everything I'm going to go home now…"

"No!" Ventus jumped up his arms flying around the raven haired male's neck. "You can't leave I have your head!"

"What?" Vanitas tried to move away but failed as the hold the blonde had on him tightened. "Ven let go! I need my head back now."

"No, you'll leave if I let go!"

"What are you three?"

"Vanitas! I want you to stay with me!" Ven replied. "Please don't leave me alone."

"Ven…"

"I like you so I want you to stay with me." He added looking up into a golden pair of eyes that held a million emotions that at the moment the blonde was too drunk to read.

"You're not just saying that because of the alcohol right?" He asked.

"I had alcohol?" He asked looking taken aback.

Vanitas rolled his eyes wrapping his arms around the blonde and pulling him closer. Really he wasn't sure if that was the alcohol talking or what, but he seemed pretty sincere about it. He really hoped that it was the alcohol just getting the blonde to finally tell him the truth something he wouldn't do sober. That seemed about right…

"You're hands are cold…" Ven commented nuzzling his face into the raven haired male's neck.

Vanitas hummed at that moving releasing him just a bit. "You need to get to sleep."

"Are you gunna stay?" Ventus mumbled into his neck lips brushing against his skin lightly and making him freeze a little.

"Yea. I'll stay, all night if I have too."

"Good." Without a moments hesitation the blonde's head moved until his lips were pressed up against Vanitas' own.

Vanitas pushed down the excitement he was feeling about this as he kissed him back, quickly taking control of the kiss. He might as well play along for now though since he didn't see a sober Ven ever instigating a kiss like this in the near future. He hadn't originally planned on using any tongue, but of course Ventus was encouraging it as his mouth opened ever so slightly to the feel of a tongue on his lip and Vanitas wasn't about to deny his Venny something he wanted. He swiftly entered the other's mouth exploring and playing tag with Ventus' own. The longer they kissed the closer the two bodies got and the sloppier the kiss became. He wasn't really going to complain about that one either.

It seemed like forever until they finally broke the kiss, panting only a little, but Vanitas mouth was working soon again against the blonde's neck. Ventus let out a small moan as he was pushed back down on the bed the raven hovering slightly over him with his mouth and tongue and teeth even moving against the delicate skin of his neck upwards towards his ear where Vanitas bit down causing an even louder moan to slip out. The black haired male could feel his pants tighten even more at the sound. He didn't mean to go this far, but he wasn't going to back out now. He couldn't even if he tried the sounds Ven was making the way he shifted under him. It called out to him.

He kissed him again the blonde complying without complaint. This was like it all just came out of a dream.

"Vani…" The voice sounded close to a whine and for a moment he tried to figure out what had caused it.

He shifted his knee making the younger male bite his lip and let out a strangled noise. He smirked repeating the action of rubbing his knee against the other's erection.

"Vani..." He began but was cut off with lips pressing against his own again. It was becoming harder for Ven to keep up though as he moaned again against the other's mouth thanks to that knee.

Van's hands moved to the boy's pants undoing the white belt and undoing the buttons and zipper to the black pants. He moved away long enough to pull off Ventus' long sleeved gray shirt. His mouth was on his neck again kissing him his eyes slid down his body back towards the pants that he'd left unattended and he began to laugh a little. "You had to of been sober when you put that on." He pointed out smiling and leaving the blonde slightly confused. Vanitas' ego seemed to flare at the sight of the boxers he'd given Ven on him even after a whole day of avoiding each other at school.

He sighed shaking his head falling back onto the bed beside the blonde and pulling him close against his chest. "Next time we get this far, you better be sober, because I'm not going to stop myself." He kissed the blonde's neck again from behind. "I love you."

-XxX-

"Zexy! I'm hungry!" Demyx exclaimed suddenly as the blue haired male was driving into town. Rounding up Sora and Roxas had been easy the two were fairly sober maybe a little tipsy and spent most of the night in the same place as Zexion just sitting back and talking, finding Riku had proved difficult and he'd just given up and left him there. Now pulling Demyx by the ear out of the building had been the hardest part of the night.

"I'm not stopping for food." He told him.

"Cook me something?"

"I'm driving!"

-XxX-

"It's so quiet!" Sora commented as he shuffled up the stairs to Roxas' bedroom.

"Well what do you expect when my parents aren't at home?" Roxas replied following him. He paused though noticing that Ven's door was left open at some point and he peered in. "Sora!" He whispered causing the brunette to look in as well and also smile at the sight.

"Playing match maker is hard." He commented. "Oh but so worth it…"

Roxas shut the door to his brother's room and turned around with Sora heading back to his own.

"Man, I wish I had someone to cuddle with like that." He commented. "Hey if I cuddle you tonight don't freak out."

"Please don't make weird jokes." Roxas replied hiding his blush.

"Oh Roxas! Give in to the cuddles!" He exclaimed glomping the blonde and falling over onto the bed with him. "You know you want too." He deadpanned.

"Why are you so weird?"

"Habit."

"What?"

Sora snuggled up to him. "Can I sleep now?"

"You should change first. You don't wanna sleep in your clothes." He replied.

"Yes Mom." He sighed getting up and dodging the pillow that was thrown at him.

"Don't be surprised if I throttle you in your sleep." Roxas warned.

"As long as you cuddle me first!"

"Seriously?"

-XxX-

_Beep-beep_

_Beep-beep_

_Beep-beep_

Ventus groaned reaching up for his alarm clock feeling nothing but air in his way. He cracked an eye open regretting it as the light coming in through his window seemed to cause his brain to burn. He squinted his eyes against it looking for the alarm clock only to realize he was on the wrong side of his bed. He shifted his body turning around slowly to get to the clock only to become face to face with something that made his heart speed up immediately.

Fuzzy memories hit him like a ton of bricks. Parts of his memory just seemed completely black though. He remembered talking to Axel. He remembered drinking something. A lot of something. And he kind of remembered walking outside somewhere with the redhead…then what?…He remembered…Vanitas…talking to him. What about? He remembered feeling sick…walking up the stairs…his room…oh God…he kissed him? What else did they do?

His panic was forgotten suddenly as his headache intensified. He felt like he was about to throw up…he leaned back closing his eyes, he forced himself to breathe through his mouth slowly in and out to make himself calm down. It seemed to work but his headache still wouldn't go away…

"Morning Venny, sleep well?" Vanitas asked in a low voice.

"What the…hell did you do?" He replied his voice a bit raspy. He kept his own volume down as far as possible not wanting to cause any more damage to his sensitive brain.

"I'm hurt, that you are accusing me of doing anything." He smirked. It seemed to grow bigger as Ven was staring at him dumbfounded.

Ventus looked down at himself seeing his shirtless self and his pants from yesterday undone but still on his body. "Vanitas!"

"Calm down Venny, we didn't do anything **too** graphic." He replied.

"Van!"

"Look see, I'll still fully clothes aren't I?" He asked gesturing to himself.

"Y-yea…" He admitted. "We did something! Vanitas whatever happened last night I hope you realize that I was completely drunk."

"Of course I realized that." He replied. "Y'know, after you ran away from me the other day I seriously thought about backing down."

"H-huh? B-backing down?"

Vanitas smirked. "But after last night, I've reconsidered my decision and you know what I decided?"

"What?" He snapped getting a little irritated at the way the raven was beating around the bush so bad.

Vanitas leaned over pecking him on the lips and smiled at the look of utter astonishment on Ven's face. "You're mine. And I'm not about to give you up to anyone. So remember that next time you try and ditch me for Xion. I won't let it happen."

-XxX-

_Thud_

"Sounds like Ven's awake." Sora mumbled nuzzling deeper into Roxas' neck and breathing deeply through his nose.

"Hm." Roxas agreed snuggling closer towards Sora for warmth. "Not my problem."

Sora let out a small breath falling back asleep soon after with Roxas following suit.

**NearKunn: FLUFF! Sorry…**

**Vanitas: I don't think there's any reason for you to be sorry, but whatever.**

**Ventus: O.O I'm still…! YES! I'M STILL INNOCENT!**

**NearKunn: Yes, yes. For now.**

**Ventus: …T.T**

**NearKunn: And also I'm very sorry about the filler I threw in in the middle there. There's something I wanted to do, but I didn't think I'd manage to fit it in this chapter so it'll be in the next one…hopefully…unless I forget…eh… *shrugs***

**Tsuki: I'M BACK~~~~! lololololol Vani will take care of that soon enough, I'm sure of it. :3**

**Ventus: But I really REALLY don't want to!**

**Vanitas: Too bad.**

**Sora: So uh...review?**

**Tsuki: *Stare* Wow~, things have calmed down since the last time I was in a blurb. I should fix this. *smirk***

**Riku: *runs away cluching his hair* **

**Axel: *won't come out of the closet***

**NearKunn: Holy Shiz over two hundred and thirty? *faints***

**Ventus: She's not dead is she? o.O**

**Vanitas: Er...I'm sure she'll be back...**

**Tsuki: no, she's not dead. I'd be very sad if she were; heartbroken. :(**

**NearKunn: D'aw thank you. :D NOW REVIEW! So I can go write more of this crap. Oh and yes, I'm alive. Mostly...**

**Tsuki: You're welcome! Now. Onto business~! * Chases after Riku, eventually tackling him and dragging him into the same closet axel is hiding in. Then evil laughter is heard***

* * *

Extra A/N: Hey sorry if any updates in the near future are late or if this one is mostly crap. My Mom's in the hospital so I don't have a lot of spare time lately. However she's recently been doing better. So hopefully things are looking up. :D

Also updated on: VanVen day! 12-21 I have no idea why its their day, but it is. And the world's supposed to end on VanVen day next year! XD lolololol The end of the world was caused by rabid fangirls with not enough self-cest...Er...next chapter shit is about to go down.


	18. The Harder The Fall

The Harder the Fall

**NearKunn: They're getting shorter! O.O ARGH!**

Ventus growled; literally growled at his phone while Cloud stared at him worried for his sanity. It pissed him off to no end. And right now he wanted nothing more then to throw his phone across the room and cause it to die a horrible death. Then maybe he could get a new cell phone. With a new number. One that this jackass _**did not **_know!

'_Heya Venny! Miss me yet? Y'know; you should've at least given me a goodbye kiss before kicking me out the other day.'_

It wasn't hard to guess who the message was from. And now he was spamming him with messages to his cell with stupid shit just like this! He was getting sick of it!

-XxX-

'_Vanitas I swear to God! If you do not stop texting me I'm going to kill you!'_

Vanitas smiled at the text. This was the first bit of contact he's had with the blonde all weekend. Luckily tomorrow was Monday and he could actually see him then. And even though his Ven was threatening his life, he considered it endearing because it was his Ven. And of course he wouldn't follow through with it.

-XxX-

'_You couldn't do that too me Ven. Because, you like me too much!'_

"I'm going to fucking destroy you!" He yelled aloud at his phone.

Cloud opened his mouth to ask about it but Roxas' laugh cut him off. "Don't worry too much about him. He's just having a lover's spat."

"We're not lovers!" Ventus yelled glaring at his brother darkly.

"Oh yea?" The younger of the two replied raising an eyebrow. "Then what was he doing in your bed the other night?"

Naminé began to cough apparently choking on whatever she'd been trying to drink just then. "'He'?"

"ARGH! NOTHING HAPPENED! He just slept there!"

"So…is that why you've got a love bite up on your neck here?" Zack asked poking the skin right bellow his ear that Vanitas had taken so much time to lavish attention on the other night.

"WHAT?" Ventus jumped up out of his seat and ran to his older brother's bathroom to look at it. "I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

-XxX-

"What're you laughing about?" Sora asked rubbing his hair dry with a towel as he entered his cousin's room.

Vanitas didn't answer just held out his phone to show the brunette the last text he'd received from Ven.

'_I can't believe you actually left marks Van! When I see you on Monday I'm going to kick you're ass!'_

"How is that funny again?" Sora asked flopping down on the bed beside him.

"Because he won't follow through with it." He replied with a smile. "Ain't he the cutest!"

-XxX-

'_That little hickey's got nothing to do with the impression you left on me.'_

Ventus glared at that statement mentally challenging it.

-XxX-

'_What impression?'_

So naïve. Vanitas smirked at that. Ven was going to kick himself for asking that.

-XxX-

'_The most painful erection I've ever had.'_

Ventus went red. He could feel it. From the tips of his toes all the way to the top of his scalp. His blood was boiling at the thought. WHY THE FUCK DID HE EVEN ASK?

-XxX-

"Hey boys I'm heading to the store do you need anything?" Aerith called looking into the room since the door was left open thanks to Sora who was making himself comfortable on Vanitas' bed.

"Food would be nice." Sora answered.

"I'm good." Van replied smiling at his phone since the blonde had yet to text him back after that. And he figured he wasn't going to get a response from him either.

"Okay well I'll be back in a bit. Don't kill each other." She finished with a smile before she headed down the hall towards the stairs.

_Buzz_

Vanitas albeit a little shocked managed to immediately open his new message from his blonde.

'_I take back every nice thing I ever said about you.'_

Vanitas' smile grew larger and he sat up on his bed suddenly. Ven was still texting him. Even though just a few days ago if he'd said something like that it'd be likely that he'd give up on trying to talk to him. But now he didn't seem willing to let their conversation drop.

Fuck yes! 

Vanitas for the win.

Fuck you very much!

Have a nice day!

-XxX-

'_You say nice things about me? :D Aw, I knew you liked me deep down Venny!'_

Ven twitched having yet to leave the bathroom he was currently hiding in. How was he supposed to face them now that they'd seen the evidence of what happened with Vanitas? He couldn't lie. Roxas seemed to already know and they'd corner him. He was so screwed…

-XxX-

'_Fuck you.'_

-XxX-

'_Gladly!'_

-XxX-

"No, I'll drive myself and meet you guys there." Vanitas spoke into his cell rolling his eyes. "Yea, I know the time. Uh-huh…it's from six to eight." He snorted a little. "Yea okay mom. Bye." He hung up before she finished replying.

"C'mon Sora hurry up your food's gunna get cold!" Aerith called down the hall to the bathroom where the brunette had gone to take a shower.

There was of course no response.

"Sor! I'm eating your dinner! It's fucking delicious!" Vanitas yelled managing to earn a glare from his Aunt at his choice of words.

There was a small bang before a mop of brown hair dashed from the bathroom towel around his shoulders his T-shirt missing and he barely managed to zip up his pants before sitting at the table in front of his food glaring harshly at his cousin. "Don't mess with my food Van. That's some serious business."

"Hurry up and eat Sora that thing starts at six and put your shirt on." His mother warned.

Sora smiled at her throwing the shirt over his head and quickly beginning to eat his food. "Why do we even need to go to some stupid open house anyway?" Sora asked with a mouthful of the mostaccioli.

"It's to check on your progress at school and don't talk with your mouthful." She warned. "Honestly you two have the worst manners at times. I often find myself questioning how I managed to raise you guys like that…"

"We have to make up for how sweet you are to people Aunt Aerith." Vanitas offered. "By being complete douches."

"We do it well." Sora agreed.

"Uh-huh…just hurry up." She replied significantly less amused then the boys were.

-XxX-

Ven yawned a little feeling exceedingly bored with nothing to do. He'd been waiting in the cafeteria for an hour and a half already and he was seemingly the only one here without at least one parent there to check on his progress. The moment they got here they told him to wait for them to finish talking to Roxas' teachers and then they'd talk to his. This stupid thing ended in about thirty minutes anyway so he didn't really even see the point of him being here as they were still off talking to the younger blonde's teacher. Not that Roxas was happy with the attention, it usually ended in "you can do better sweetie, you're such a star."

Ven was more or less ignored by his parents. He wasn't gay so he didn't get the bad kind of attention that Cloud had that caused the older male to move out suddenly when he was eighteen "We hate you! You abandoned all that's good for the sake of another man! You're morals are wrong! You're stupid!" And he wasn't a genius so he didn't get the weird attention Roxas got. "Even if you think you're gay now, it's probably a phase you'll get over it soon. We still love you and we're so happy about your grades. Keep it up!" To say the least he didn't so much mind it.

He just kinda missed it every once in awhile. He could remember though a little hazy a time when his parents got along with each other. When Cloud was "straight" and they would go out to dinner together, and his mother always made it a point to sit next to him. She used to read to him and Roxas too. And his Dad would play video games with them and hide and seek (which both Roxas and Ven took completely seriously and always seemed to win). And then they found out about Cloud and Zack.

Ven couldn't sleep that night there was so much yelling and screaming. Roxas was asleep before it even started and luckily he didn't wake up. It took a while for things to quiet down and when it did Cloud had come up stairs and came into their room and told Ven goodbye. The next morning he moved out of that house and in with Zack. It was a little over two years before they got to see him again.

"Venny~!" The sing-song voice cracked like a whip pulling him out of his thoughts.

The blonde stood up suddenly turning a fake smile on the raven "Hi, no time to talk, I should probably go find my…"

Vanitas' arm around his shoulder prevented him from walking away. "Aw, c'mon this is the first time I've seen you since you kicked me out of your bed." He smiled. "Literally. I got bored and snuck away from my parents." He explained starting to walk away with the blonde, Ven not really realizing he was following.

"Your parents are here?" Ven asked suddenly painfully aware that this is the most he's ever heard about them since he was told that they abandoned him with Sora's parents (less then three months ago).

"Yea." He shrugged it off. Just like that…

"Vanitas…"

"So about that collab painting due tomorrow?" He began. "I was kinda thinking I'd give you a ride home, but before that we'd stop by at Demyx's house to commander it from him since he'll probably forget to bring it in the morning. Kinda sounds like something he'd do huh?"

"Uh sure…wait…no! Definitely not! I'm so not getting in a car with you again! I'd have to be seriously out of it to ever get back into a car you're driving!" He glared.

"Like the other night?"

"Shut. Up." He warned with a glare although it seemed a lot less intimidating then he wanted it to. "And where are you taking me?" He asked a bit too late as he was dragged into a narrow hallway that led to a door at the end of the hall that was padlocked and somewhat blocked from view by a funny looking statue. The hallway was lined with "art" and it didn't take much more to figure out that the door lead down to the boiler room.

"Sorry." Vanitas commented suddenly leaning back against the wall. I kinda felt awkward out in the open like that with so many people around. Plus I don't want my parents to find me just yet. They're kinda suffocating…"

Ven took the opportunity to learn more. He didn't know what possessed him to suddenly give a fuck about Vanitas but he was curious. Extremely so. Something in him screamed that it wanted to know every little thing. To…get to know the Vanitas that _maybe_ even cried on his shoulder once…

"Sora told me, they abandoned you." He commented quietly testing the waters first.

The raven snorted at that. "Like any good parents huh?"

"What are they doing back?"

"I dunno…I think my Dad lost that big job that he abandoned me for in the first place so they decided to change themselves? Or maybe its cause…" He stopped himself golden eyes looking up into blue ones that were standing against the wall opposite him in the narrow hallway. "It doesn't really matter." He finished. "Not to me anyway."

"Liar." The words left his mouth before he could even process them.

It was then that Vanitas smirked. And moved closer trapping him against the wall with his body and…his lips. Vanitas was kissing him, again and Ven had no idea what to do about it. He should push him away. That was the very first thought that popped into his head. Push him away, get this stupid rejection over with and get on with life. But something…something about the warmth kept him from doing that. When he'd lifted his hands to do just that he instead ended up fisting them in the raven's shirt.

So warm…

His eyes started to slide closed, he wasn't even sure why.

So very warm…

And then his mouth opened just the slightest, enough to let the raven's tongue slip inside and touch his own making a weird feeling suddenly go through him. One he most certainly didn't hate…

"Vanitas!"

It was over fast, leaving the blonde's head spinning.

"What in the world do you think you're doing?" A man's voice boomed and Ven looked at the two newest additions to the hallway. Both of them had brown hair and the woman's eyes were a similar shade of brown however the man…he recognized those eyes. And that sound in his voice…it sounded like… "Vanitas! How dare you even think to stoop so low! And with another man! It's unnatural and gross!"

"_You're a disgusting piece of filth! Trash that shouldn't belong to this family! Being with another man! You're unnatural and gross!"_

The same sound in his own father's voice the night before Cloud left.

"It's wrong! And you've dirtied yourself! Vanit…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Silence overcame the four of them as Ventus' words filled the air. Shock written clearly all over Vanitas' face. "What the fuck is so wrong with it anyway? You have no right to call someone disgusting! Especially your own son! If you do something like that then you're no better then those bastard parents who leave their kids to fend for themselves!" Angry blue eyes stared deep into the gold one's that belonged to Vanitas' father. The words stabbing with extra ice at the mention the look he was giving them telling them he knew that they'd already done that and… "Or people who are so unfit to be parents that they cause their own child pain."

"Ven!" Vanitas spoke up suddenly getting even more shocked. He'd never even told Sora about that. How did Ven know? "Sorry!" He said to his parents suddenly. "We've gotta go." He grabbed the blonde's hand and dragged him away quickly knowing with the way Ventus' hand clinched tightly around his own that he was still pissed off.

The raven's hand reached around his waist momentarily distracting him. "It's okay, Ven. I'm used to it so there's really nothing they can say." He whispered in his ear with a soothing voice he didn't even know he had in him. "It's okay. Calm down. It's okay. It's okay, Ven."

-XxX-

Roxas didn't think much of it when two people he'd never seen a day before in his life took his parents aside to talk to them about something. It was when his Father's angry gaze landed on him that he began to feel like something bad was going on. His parents didn't say a word when they got into the car. And they were only two blocks from home when his Dad spoke to him.

"Vanitas is Sora's cousin that's living with him right?"

"Y-yea." Roxas replied quickly texting Ven to ask him where he was at.

_Buzz_

"I don't want you to see either of those boys anymore." He said suddenly making Roxas freeze as he stared at the reply from his brother not even reading it. Not see…Sora…

Sora…

Sora!

**NearKunn: You have got to be shitting me? You people are still reviewing? Even after I leave you all hanging for two months? :O You all must be some kind of saints…except not, because…well what saint reads smut? O.O I love you all and wish to marry each and everyone of you…hopefully that won't be weird…**

**Vanitas: As you can see, shit is going down.**

**Sora: Can you guess what happened?**

**Roxas: Why are you guys treating this like a commercial?**

**Ventus: I have a better question, where's Tsuki-san?**

**Roxas: …Where's Axel?**

**Sora: …Uh…Riku?**

**Vanitas: Oh yea, she left a note.**

**Roxas: A note?**

**Vanitas: A note.**

**Ventus: And what did the note say Vani?**

**Vanitas: Basically she said not to mind her temporary absence as well as those of a few other people. She also promised very few people would turn up dead.**

**Sora: "Very few"?**

**Roxas: Role check!**

**Demyx: Here!**

**Zexion: Here…**

**Xigbar: Here~!**

**Roxas: Damnit!**

**Xigbar: Okay, that wasn't nice…**

**Sora: …I'm scared…**

**TO BE CONTINUED! BUT PROBABLY NOT!**


	19. Can't We Go Back?

Can't We Go Back?

The car ride was silent between the two as Vanitas drove them back to the blonde's house. No words were exchanged until they pulled up into the driveway. "Sorry…" Ven commented suddenly unbuckling himself and reaching for the door handle. "I didn't mean to fuck things up with your parents like that…"

"Don't worry about it." He replied reaching out and grabbing the blonde's hand. "Look, my parents have always been a little weird, but you shouldn't worry about them. I don't really care what they think about me anymore. But uh…thanks…for standing up for me I guess…"

"Yea…" He replied a little awkwardly. Pulling on the door handle he opened it and let himself out.

"Ven!" Vanitas called getting his attention last minute and pulling him back down a little back his hand so that he was leaning into the car far enough over for him to reach him and kiss him on the lips. Softly. Gently. It was like love personified and it twisted in Ventus' gut. He had to reject him eventually. Soon. Before things got even more complicated. "I'll see you later."

"I…yea. Bye." Ven hurried away shutting the car door and rushing inside. As soon as he closed the door to his house behind him he let himself relax against the door. Jeez…kissing Vanitas…no…letting Vanitas kiss him…it was already complicated wasn't it? He beat his head back against the door once. Then twice. He's really fucked up hasn't he?

"How could you be so stupid? I'm very disappointed in you!"

Ven's eyebrows furrowed at the sound of his father's voice. He sighed wandering what was going on and he headed over into the living room to see his father red-faced and angry. Roxas sitting on the couch with his head down. His mother standing off to the side she seemed to be the only one to see him there.

"Ventus…"

The blonde opened his mouth to say something but was cut off before the words left his lips.

"And where have you been?" His father demanded.

Ven bit his lip to keep from snapping back. "I was just…I got a ride with someone else…I couldn't find you guys…"

"Right." He replied. "Go to bed. We're talking."

Ven looked at Roxas who was looking at him now with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Talking about what?" He asked.

"It's fine." His mother answered. "Go upstairs…"

"Yes." His father agreed for once, turning back to Roxas. "And you, give me your cell phone. And I don't even want you to think about seeing that boy again. And Sora's a good kid so I want you to call him and explain the situation immediately. He deserved to know what you've done."

"What happened?" Ven asked.

"Go ahead Roxas. Tell your brother."

Ven looked at Roxas eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"I…" Roxas began giving Ven the most panicked look he'd ever seen on his brother's face. "I…made out with Vanitas."

"What?" Ven's eyes widened slightly trying to work out what the blonde said. "When?"

"Tonight…before we left." He frowned giving him a look.

Why did it suddenly feel like he'd just been punched in the stomach? Wasn't it Vanitas that said he…didn't Vanitas…love…no…like…? "Wait…" The older blonde's eyebrows knitted together again all of a sudden. "You…but Van was…"

"I'm sorry." Roxas added cutting him off. That look in his eyes made Ven close his mouth.

"How'd you know?" Ven asked suddenly quietly hiding his face from his parents. "I mean, you didn't see Roxas do it…"

"No, but that boy's parents did. And they informed us all about it. And how completely rude he was to them. Honestly Roxas, I thought you knew better. I thought you were getting better…" His father answered.

"I'm gay." Roxas replied. "It's not an illness."

"It's disgusting!"

Ven's hands formed fists at his sides.

"Now give me your phone. We're putting an end to this. Vanitas is the problem and you see him through Sora. We get rid of the problem. I want you to call Sora and tell him goodbye."

"What?" Ven exclaimed.

"Go to your room Ventus!" His dad yelled back. "This is his punishment and I don't want you hanging out with them either Ven so…"

"You can't do that! Sora is Roxas' best friend and…"

"It's fine!" Roxas replied panicked and jumping up from the couch. "It's fine…I…"

"No! It's not because Sora and Roxas are the problem and Roxas didn't make out with Vanitas!"

"Oh yea? How do _you_ know this?" He yelled back getting red in the face again.

"Ventus! Stop!" Roxas exclaimed but went ignored.

"Because I did it! I made out with Vanitas, not Roxas! I'm the one who yelled at his parents! They must've just mistook Roxas for me!"

The room fell silent for a very long time. It was their mother who broke the silence. "Ven…"

"Roxas go to your room." His father interrupted her, his face dark.

"But…" Roxas began.

"NOW!" The voice made the two boy's jump slightly.

"Hunny…" Their mother tried.

"Quiet! There will be no arguments. Go to your room now, Roxas."

Roxas gave Ven one last panicked look before hurrying up the stairs. The room remaining silent until they heard the sound of Roxas' door closing behind him.

"Dad I…" Ven tried but was cut off like everyone else.

"I want you out of this house by morning."

Blue eyes widened.

"Whatever you don't take with you gets thrown out."

"Dad…"

The man left the room leaving Ven and his mother behind both seemed to be in shock…his mother recovered first and chased after him. "You can't do this! He's only a kid!"

"He should know better!"

"You can't! He's my son too!"

"This is my house! And I won't have filth like that fucking it up! He's worthless! Never excelling in anything and now he's nothing but a disgusting sin! Just like his fucking brother!"

"Cloud is…"

The blonde stood up slowly heading to the staircase he walked up to his bedroom. He quietly closed the door so as not to disturb Roxas. He looked around. It was kind of a mess. He walked over to his closet pulling out his green bag. He stared at it for a very long time. He could've sworn it was an hour before he was seemingly snapped out of this trance by the tears that were streaming down his face. Were his parents still fighting? Where the hell was his supposed to go? He pulled out his phone looking hard at it through his tears. It was so blurry. With shaking hands he tried to dial a number but stopped himself midway. That was Vanitas' number…Vani…

He fell backwards onto the floor of his bedroom. Breathing was becoming harder by the second. He rocked a little hugging his knees rationalizing that he needed to calm down. To breath. He backspaced the number and typed in Cloud's number hoping he'd answer. He panicked a little when it went straight to the older blonde's voicemail. Who the hell could he call?

He hung up and tried to think with his fuzzy mind blurring everything. Finally he managed to type in another number pressing call. "Pick up…pick up…pick up…"

"Ven? Dude it's like midnight. What's up?"

"Terra…I need help…"

-XxX-

**NearKunn: BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! Breaking the tension and cutting the chapter short.**

**Ventus: :O**

**NearKunn: Okay, yea…this was really really really dark. But I mean, something like this is one of people's biggest fears when coming out. I didn't really have to worry about it, 'cause my whole family was telling me I was gay before I even knew…but I'm only bi, so they were still wrong. XP**

**But hell; something like this is a really scary thought. And I've met people or heard of some cases where their coming out wasn't as expected or welcome as mine. It's scary thinking you might be hated and loose your own parents just because you fell in love with someone of the same gender as yourself… *sigh***

**Anyway…yea…**

**Roxas: Wow you talk a lot.**

**Sora: Hey um…aren't we gunna try and figure out what happened last time in these blurbs? I'm still kinda confused.**

**Vanitas: What are you talking about?**

**Sora: Tsuki-san's note! Remember? Riku went missing! And so did Axel! Remember? Roxas?**

**Roxas: Uh…but Axel's right there. *points to him***

**Vanitas: And Tsuki and Riku are here too.**

**Riku: *raises an eyebrow***

**Tsuki: Oh hai there! *creepy grin***

**Sora: *eyes widen* What the friday?**

**Riku: You okay Sor? You look like you've just seen a ghost.**

**Sora: For all I know I am one!**

**Roxas: Now you're just talking nonsense.**

**Ventus: Oh God…we broke him!**

**NearKunn: Kay, now that I'm lost: TSUKI-CHAN! Do your duty and get me reviewers!**

**Tsuki: Kay Kay! Review my lovely little ducklings, or next I take Sora, Roxas, and Ventus for a weekend (or week) of reprogramming and retraining!**

**Roxas: For what?**

**Ventus: What did I do?**

**Sora: T.T**

**Tsuki: *cooing at them* Oh, don't worry my little doves. It won't hurt! It'll just be like you going to sleep and waking up a new person.**

**Fufufufufufufufu…..**

**Roxas: FOR THE LOVE OF GOD REVIEW!**

**Ventus: HURRY!**

**Sora: **

**NearKunn: Kay! Bye-bye guys! I'll see you next chapter!**


	20. It'll Be Alright

It'll Be Alright

**NearKunn: Holy Shit. You people are way too awesome. To actually get me over 300 reviews? *faints***

**Sora: No! Wake up Sensei! You still need to write the next chapter!**

**Vanitas: *grabs a bucket of ice water and a chainsaw* I've got this.**

**Ventus: What in the hell do you need a chainsaw for?**

Roxas hopped out of bed rushing down the stairs and opened the door the minute he saw Terra parking in the driveway through his bedroom window. "Did Ven call you?" He asked after walking out into the night air it was well past midnight and he probably would've been scolded for still being awake if not for the fact that his parents had been in a screaming match since shortly after Roxas went upstairs.

"Yea, where's he at?" The brunette replied following the younger blonde into the house.

"His room, he's locked the door and he won't let me in." He replied leading him up the stairs to his brother's room. "Why did he call you?" He asked while the brunette knocked on the door.

"Ven!" Terra called attempting to get the blonde's attention. He heard a soft thump and some feet walking across a carpeted floor before the he finally answered the door to let the older male in who was followed by Roxas. Terra didn't bother asking if he was okay…he hugged the blonde tightly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know who else to call." Ventus commented his voice a little muffled by the brunette's shoulder.

"What's going on?" Roxas asked staring at the bag of clothes that was lying on his brother's bed.

Ven bit his lip as Terra stood up to full height not looking at the younger of the two. "I'll give you two a minute." He offered stepping outside of the room and letting the door close behind him.

After a moment Ven began to stutter out an explanation. "I…I got kicked out."

Blue eyes widened. "You idiot!" Roxas yelled suddenly hitting him fairly hard on the shoulder. "This is why you shouldn't have told them!" He added trying to figure out if he was gunna hit Ven again or hug him. He took a step back stopping him from doing either. "You…dumbass…you can't leave me alone here. First Cloud and now you! It would've been okay for them to just blame me! I don't really like hanging out with Vanitas anyway!"

This was the closest to crying Ven's seen Roxas since he was five. "Rox…It'll be alright." He added walking closer to him and giving him a hug for the first time in a really long time. "I'm not going to leave you. And I…there's no way I was going to let them take you away from Sora. He's like your first real friend."

"I would've figured out some way out of it." He added hugging back. "What are you gunna do?"

"Dunno." Ven admitted. "But I'll figure it out. Terra's gunna let me stay with him tonight and probably longer if I need too. And…I'll see you at school. But I'm going to try and get a hold of Cloud tomorrow. Maybe he can give me some advice."

"It's a shit plan." Roxas commented making Ven's release a breath of laughter.

"Sorry." He replied. "You come up with something better."

"I will." There was a moment of silence between the two the returned the feeling of the moment to what it really was. "Vanitas is going to flip."

"No!" Ven pulled back a little to look Roxas in the eye. "We're not telling Vanitas."

"What? Why not?"

"Because he will flip!" He replied. "And…I don't want him to think this is his fault just because of that…" He trailed off at the word.

"Kiss?"

The older blonde looked down at his feet. "It wasn't really all his fault…I didn't exactly push him away…Look just promise you won't tell him okay!"

Roxas sighed. "Okay. I promise."

"Thank you."

-XxX-

Terra dropped a clean towel on Ven's head as he walked into the bedroom. "Didn't sleep?"

Ven smiled at him gratefully. "No, I…I couldn't sleep…"

The brunette nodded. "Go ahead and take a shower. I don't think we've got anything to eat here, so we'll stop by and get fast food or something on the way to school. It's a public school, so its not like your parents can stop you from attending right?"

"Yea." Ven replied. "Thanks Terra."

"Uh-huh. Just hurry up, so we're not late."

-XxX-

"Yo Roxas, where's Ven?" Vanitas asked the blonde as he caught up to him walking into the school.

Roxas stared at him blankly for a moment without answering.

The raven raised an eyebrow at that. "I spoke Blondie. That usually warrants a response of some sort."

Nothing.

"Oh my God. Did you have a stroke?" He asked trying mostly to figure out what he did this time to gain Roxas' silent treatment. "Roxas?"

"Morning Roxy-poo!" Sora called linking arms with the blonde male. "Dude, I totally need you to help me with Algebra cause I didn't do any of it. And by help, I mean that I want you to give me yours so I can copy." He stated simply. "So I'll be taking you now. Later Van!" He called back to his very confused cousin as he pulled his best friend away and in the general direction of the library. "So what happened then? You look like shit."

"Thanks." Roxas replied.

The brunette frowned at him. "I'm serious Rox. You didn't sleep last night did you? What happened?"

"I can't say."

"Oh c'mon!" He exclaimed shooting him puppy-dog eyes. "You're my gossip King. Tell me everything." He started making the blonde smile just a little bit. "If you didn't tell me absolutely everything going on in your life, I'd feel like you'd just stabbed me in the back with a knife, cause you know I love you babe…"

"For the love of all that is good, STOP!" Roxas interrupted him laughing as he shoved the other male lightly.

Sora laughed a little too before sitting them both down at one of the library tables. He leaned over letting his weight rest against the other males arm and soon resting his head on the other's shoulder. "So, will you tell me? Pretty please?"

Roxas sighed leaning his head down to rest it on the brunette's own. "You're not allowed to tell Vanitas." He said before quickly adding. "Until further notice from me that is."

"My adorable lips are sealed." He replied waiting for the blonde to spill the beans. Of course when Roxas had told him absolutely everything he was a bit shocked. "So…what's gunna happen now?"

"I don't know." Roxas replied quietly. "I don't think Ven even really knows."

"Well…fuck…and I'm not allowed to tell Vani?" Sora asked.

"Until further notice." He repeated.

"Okay..." Sora sighed at that shocked into silence for a long moment. Finally shook his head moving it from the slightly smaller male's shoulder to look him in the eye. "Are you okay?"

"I might be." The blonde replied.

"I'll be there for you no matter what you know that right?"

"Yea."

"Good." He replied seriously before grabbing his Algebra book. "Now cheat for me."

"You were serious about that?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be? Rox, math is serious business."

-XxX-

Ven walked with Terra into the school noticing the way Vanitas looked at him as the raven had been standing at the entrance seemingly waiting for something. The look he's received was like a mixture of relief, curiosity, and jealousy. "Want me to walk you to class?" Terra asked.

"Nah, I'll be fine." He replied. "See you later though."

"Yep." He smiled at him ruffling his hair a little before disappearing into the school to make his own way.

He watched Terra as he left before turning to face Vanitas the inevitable happening. How was he supposed to explain that?

The raven frowned at him. "You're late by about ten minutes. I think your brother had a stroke cause he is yet again refusing to talk to me and he doesn't have a valid reason this time, and now you're showing up to school with some jock?"

"Class doesn't start for another ten minutes." Ven replied glaring a little at him. "Leave Roxas alone if he doesn't want to talk to you, and for your information, Terra happens to be my best friend. Something you would know if you cared to know a single thing about me besides what I look like naked." With that he attempted to walk away but was stopped by the hand wrapping itself around his arm.

"The fuck is your problem?" He demanded. "And I know who that guy is. Why are you with him?"

"I don't have to explain it to you. Last I checked you weren't my parent."

"I'm not your parent! I'm wor…" He stopped dead dropping the other's arm fast. "Forget it."

"You're worried?" Ven asked looking at the other male a little shocked.

Vanitas didn't look at him.

The blonde frowned at that reaching out and taking the other's hand; leading him out of the hallway (where quite a few people were staring at them) and back towards that one hall they'd been in the night before and kissed him. Vanitas although shocked wasn't about to let this opportunity slip out of his hands he kissed back as soon as he could taking control on the situation and leading the other male towards the back were he could trap Ven against the wall, just in case the younger male decided to come to his senses anytime soon.

Vanitas grunted a little into the kiss when he felt the other's hands tugging at his hair and he let himself be parted from the other's lips as a result letting the two boys catch their breath.

"Ven, not that I'm complaining or anything; but what brought that on?"

The blonde shrugged a little still trying to catch his breath a bit. "I just really wanted to kiss you right then…"

Vanitas chuckled a bit. "Well it's no use distracting me. I still want to know what happened."

Ventus smiled at him then. "I'm not saying right now. But…" He looked at his watch. "you have about a minute left to kiss me before we have to go to class." He added looking at the other male.

"So does this mean you love~ me?" He asked.

"Let's stick with 'like' for now shall we?" Ven replied. "And you now have thirty seconds."

"But you want me to kiss you." The raven smirked.

"Less then twenty."

"Fine." Vanitas kissed him again pushing him back against the wall again. The bell rang making the older male pause suddenly.

"Fuck it, I can afford a tardy." The blonde commented grabbing a handful of black locks and kissing him hard.

**Roxas: Well since we had so many reviews on the last chapter, we're safe from Tsuki's clutches.**

**Sora: *sighs in relief***

**NearKunn: I wouldn't have let her touch you guys anyway. I love Roxy and Venny just the way they are!  
Sora: …what about me?**

**NearKunn: Eh.**

**Sora: *back to the emo corner***

**Riku: No Tsuki this chapter?**

**NearKunn: No, I'M SORRY TSUKI I LOVE YOU! I wanted to update really fast so that I could get my friend to update their story. And, believe it or not, this is not filler. :D Anyway, uh…no this is not the end of the story; I've got a few more things to do before that happens so lucky you! I'll try to update more often! I swear! Just let me get rid of my social life, and then this will be easier. Well, I'm about to be out of school for the summer, I decided not to take summer classes so that I could work more. And this summer I'll be working full-time in my day-care. YAY! Again don't I just seem like a great role model? And I might have more time for fanfiction writing. I'll start writing on my breaks and during naptime or something…lol. But wow, I got way off topic. Anyway, Tsuki will be back next chapter I promise I won't leave her out forever!**

**Roxas: You did get really off topic…**

**Sora: This blurb is really boring.**

**NearKunn: Yea well, I'm tired. What do you expect?**

**Axel: Flying monkeys?**

***flying monkeys flew in through the window that randomly appeared and is for some reason open***

**Vanitas: Well would you look at that…**

**NearKunn: I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO TAKE IT! *runs away screaming***

**Sora: I spoke to soon.**

**Vanitas: So, review! And I have yet to hear how much you people love me. So get praising.  
Sora: *rolls eyes***


	21. Going Crazy

Going Crazy

**NearKunn: Apologies. I know my updates are sporatic. I always mean to be on time, but sometimes you've gotta bear with me. Honestly I'm the only one paying for stuff in my house right now, so it follows that I sometimes loose my cable/internet. So updating gets hard. But at least I'm almost always writing, be it this story or one of my others. But thanks for your patience. :D And on with chapter 21. I also told myself I'd start proof-reading myself (too proud to get a beta) before updating, but I was really tired, so you get what you get. **

Vanitas cursed the moment his phone started to ring. He grabbed it and tossed it away without even looking to see who it was that dared to disturb him right now.

However another set of hands grabbed it and handed it back to him. "Answer."

"Why?" He whined giving Ven a look like a kicked puppy. Close enough. He had just started making out with the other male and was a couple more moves away from getting the blonde's shirt off. So fucking close he could taste it. Now however it seemed as though his Venny was no longer in the mood. Damn… "I don't wanna…"

Ven shot him a glare and finally he complied.

He looked at whoever was calling him and groaned. "Now I definitely don't want to…" He commented before flipping his phone open and holding it up to his ear. "What?"

"_Vanitas, that is a very rude way to greet people."_ The woman on the other line scolded making him sigh. _"And anyway I just called to ask if you would join your father and me for dinner tomorrow night?"_

"What, not afraid I'll gay up the place?" He snorted.

"_Vanitas please."_ His mother sighed. _"We want to make it clear to you that it doesn't matter what your sexuality is. You're still our son."_

"Yea I know…" He frowned glancing at Ven. "I'm busy tomorrow."

"_When aren't you busy?"_ She asked. _"Vanitas there are some things your father and I would like to discuss with you. It's important and we'd like to include you."_

The way she sounded so sweet made him want to cringe. "I guess Monday after school."

"_Good, we'll have dinner then."_

"Fine." He agreed. "Bye." He hung up then not giving her a chance to say anything more. "Now can we go back to making out?"

Ven smiled at him. "Nope. I have to leave."

The raven glanced at the clock and cursed. Loudly.

-XxX-

"Where have you been young man? It's late and I've been waiting up for you." A voice asked as soon as Ventus had closed the door behind him.

He smiled. "It's seven o'clock. You probably haven't even had dinner yet." He shot back.

"I was worried sick." Zack replied his hands on his hips. "That's it no more back-sass. You are grounded Mr. Do you hear me? Now go to your room and think about what you've done…"

Promptly after finishing he was smacked upside the head by none other then his fiancé.

After school the day after he'd been kicked out he'd tried calling Cloud again. Luckily that time he did answer and upon finding out what happened arrived not ten minutes later at Terra's house to take him in.

"_You don't have to take me in y'know. You guys are about to get married…aren't I kinda in the way?" Ven asked them as they drove him back to their apartment._

"_No." Cloud simply answered looking at him through the rearview mirror with a raised eyebrow causing the blonde in the back to raise one in return._

_Zack smiled at that turning around a bit. "What he means is that it's no problem Ven. You're our family and we're going to keep you safe. Anyway, Cloud and I are getting married, but keep in mind we've been together a really long time. We're not going to miss out on anything because of you. If anything it'll be good practice."_

"_Practice?" Ventus asked him._

"_For when we have kids of our own." Zack cleared up. "In the meantime you can be our son, I'll be the stern father, and Cloud can be your mother. Speaking of, Hunny what are you making up for dinner?"_

"_At the rate this conversation is going. Ven and I are eating out and you're getting shit." Cloud replied._

_Zack nodded in understanding. "Well, now I'm sleeping on the couch…"_

"Why are you so abusive to me?" Zack asked with a small whine.

"Cause you're an idiot." Cloud answered simply.

Ven smiled at that. "I'm gunna get some homework started. Please keep it down." He added walking out of the living room and towards the guest bedroom that they'd given him. Actually a long time ago it used to be Cloud's room, when those two first started to live together. After a year though Cloud just moved completely into Zack's room and the his old room was dubbed the guest room which was only used when Zack got in trouble and was kicked out of his own room. It was a rare occurrence, but not unheard of.

"'Keep it down'?" Zack repeated. "Are you, young sir, implying that Cloud and I will do anything noisy?"

"You're always noisy." Cloud replied. "And no, you're in trouble so we will not be doing that."

"What exactly is that?" Zack asked with a smirk before making both of his blonde roommates walk away from him. "What did I do?"

-XxX-

Ventus made a face.

"I know." Roxas replied.

"But…"

"Exactly…"

"Well did you tell them no?" He asked frowning at the pamphlet in front of him.

"Multiple times." The younger blonde answered.

"Dude seriously?" Sora commented taking the paper from Ven and looking through it laughing at it. "Uniforms, are you serious?"

"Isn't that going a little overboard?" Ven asked. "I mean, sending you to a private school?"

"What?" Axel asked having just now reached the table sitting down at it like a kicked puppy. "Who's leaving?"

"Roxas' psycho Mom and Dad are sending him to some private school with uniforms and everything." Sora answered. "See." He showed him a picture of the giant campus with students smiling all over at the camera.

The redhead cocked his head to the side. "Those uniforms are really hot…" He commented taking it from the brunette leaving Sora to stare at him like he was insane.

"That's great and all, but let's look at the big-picture here." Zexion commented steering Axel back to the conversation at hand. "This means that Roxas will no longer go to school here."

"So? We'll still see him right?" Axel asked looking back at Roxas. "And when we do, he'll be wearing a sexy little school-girl outfit."

The redhead managed to dodge the kick sent his way by said male.

"I don't get it." Vanitas commented. "You guys' parents are going to send Roxas to this Private school, but not you?" He asked looking at Ventus.

"Yea well, Roxas would do better grade wise there." Ven replied. "My grades aren't really good enough to go to a prestigious school like that."

"I don't think grades matter." Zexion commented. "They really only care about money."

"Well the classes are harder and I'm sure they don't want me to waste their money." Ven replied. "And I'm perfectly fine going to school here." He added smiling at Roxas. "It's not like it's a boarding school right Rox? You'll still get to see everyone."

"Jeez, you guys are acting like you're barely going to see each other." Axel commented. "You two do realize you live together right?"

Roxas rolled his eyes at that. "The point Axel, is that I don't **want** to go. I just don't have a choice."

"When are you leaving?" Riku asked.

"Friday is my last day here." The blonde grumbled folding his arms across his chest and slumping down in his seat.

"Awesome." Axel commented earning a look from the blonde.

"What?" Roxas asked.

"Going away party." He smirked.

"Not gunna happen." The blonde replied with a huff.

"So, did anyone do their history homework?" Sora asked suddenly. "Cause I sure as hell didn't."

-XxX-

"Hey Ven, how come you didn't know about your brother leaving?" Vanitas asked as they and the rest of their gym class was changing clothes.

"Hm?" Ven asked panicking a little at the question. He didn't think that the raven would read too much into it.

"I find it hard to believe that they didn't have a long argument about it first. How come you just found out at lunch?" Vanitas asked.

"Hey Ven!" Sora called from across the locker room. Be on my team today!"

"What are we playing?" The blonde called back grateful for the distraction.

"Badminton." Axel answered.

"We're still playing that game?" Sora asked with a frown.

"That's not a game, that's an abomination." Vanitas sighed.

"It's fun." Ven shot back.

"To you maybe, but you're a sissy."

"Asshole."

Vanitas smirked at that. The insult didn't hold nearly as much resentment as it used too. It was more like playful banter. Almost flirting. Then he frowned…God what the fuck were they? They weren't dating, but he was pretty sure they weren't just friends.

"Wha-what?" Ven asked looking innocently back at him.

"Nothing princess." Vanitas lied smoothly.

"Hey Van, Ven, quit flirting and change already." Sora called as he headed towards the exit of the locker room and into the gym.

"Sora!" Ven objected.

"Cockblocker~!" Vanitas yelled back earning a glare from the blonde.

-XxX-

"Not taking the bus?" Vanitas asked catching up with Ven as the blonde was wandering outside of the school.

Said male of course blushed at that. "Uh, nah I really kinda felt like sticking around for a bit today." He commented playing his hand at nonchalant. He was failing miserably at it though which was of course the reason behind the raven's skeptical look.

"Okay…" He shrugged. "So, Sor is plotting Roxas' going away party. That'll be shitty."

Ven nodded staring intently at the mud and grass at his feet.

"Funny thing that, Sora talked to your parents about it and y'know, they want to 'approve' the guests. So my cousin mentioned that I should probably come later after his parents leave." Vanitas commented watching the blonde closely. Not that it did anything he still couldn't get the other male to look at him long enough to see his face. "I then decided to put two and two together and now I want you to explain something to me."

"I have to go." Ven mumbled taking a step away before turning around and walking off in the complete opposite direction of Cloud's house.

"Ven! What happened?" Vanitas asked grabbing his wrist and yanking him back he didn't expect for the smaller blonde to loose his balance and fall backwards against him. He would've fallen over too if not for the tree behind him that seemed to catch him. "It's my fault they're making Roxas leave right? Why didn't you just tell me?"

"It doesn't matter." Ven commented quietly not moving even though he was sure people passing by thought it was weird to see two boy's like this outside the school. "It's not like you can make them change their minds and it isn't your fault so…"

"Look at me and say that." Vanitas replied voice quiet in his ear yet it held a stern note to it that was demanding. "I'm sick of being lied to all the time. If anyone's going to be the one to tell me the truth it should be you."

"I don't understand why it has to be me…" Ven frowned trying not to let his resolve break.

"Don't change the subject Ventus." He snapped. "I want _you_ to tell me because it's _you_ that I care about the most. Are you happy now?"

"No!" Ven yanked his arm away turning to face the now shocked raven. "I'm not happy! I never asked for your affection and I'm sorry if I encouraged it, but…I don't want it! And you have nothing to do with Roxas getting transferred! They barely even care about you compared to what I…" He bit his lip stopping himself from blurting it out but he was already crying…damnit…

Vanitas felt like panicking. Ven was really upset. Almost in hysterics a minute ago, and it was scary…not scary like how his mother scared him…but it was scary because that face he was making was so like the face his Aunt had made the night his Uncle died…

"I'm sorry…Van I have to go…"

Vanitas snapped back to reality, unwilling to let Ven go just like that he reached out and grabbed his hand gently. God, this was scary. "Please don't break, Ven." He said as calmly as he could but even he was sure that was his own voice that was shaking. He touched his forehead to that of the other blonde's seeming to only make the blonde cry more. "Whether you want it or not Venny, you have my affection. So please don't break…I don't want to see you break…"

"Vani…" The blonde whispered his voice refusing to come out any louder then that.

Vanitas took a deep breath before taking a chance. "Venny, I love you."

Ven cried harder at that letting his body slump forward against the raven's own. "I…d-don't know how to answer that…" He replied.

"Well that's better then a no." Vanitas commented reaching up to brush the tears off of the other male's cheek. "Let me convince you. I love you."

Ventus shook his head wandering when Vanitas' hands had started to feel so warm… finally he pulled back and looked up a bit. He closed that last couple of inches between them and kissed Vanitas. "Just…give me time."

* * *

**NearKunn: God that was cheesy as fuck…**

**Vanitas: Hey, you wrote it.**

**NearKunn: That I did. :3**

***epically long silence***

**NearKunn: …um…**

**Tsuki: *is hyper* Note; chemicals do weird thing to me when applied to my head. *cuddles Vani, Sora and Riku***

**NearKunn: SAVED! Wait…chemicals?**

**Tsuki: Blonde streaks. Lots of 'em too. Saved from what?**

**NearKunn: You don't want to know…**

**Tsuki: o.O okay. *glomps Roxy***

**Roxas: WHY? JUST WHY?**

**Axel: Cause you're fucking adorable…**

**Sora: He ain't lying. Well I mean, you'd have to be, you're me.**

**Vanitas: Anyway…back on topic (which by the way is me) I wish to thank all of those who actually preceded to mention how much they love me in the last chapters reviews, however there were not enough. And now I'm going to die.**

**Ven: *raises eyebrow* What?**

**Vanitas: Yea, it would seem that I suffer from a severe case of narcissism and without the proper amount of compliments I can die.**

**Ven: Bull-shit.**

**Vanitas: Fuck you!**

**NearKunn: No not yet! Plot development guys!**

**Vanitas: Fuck the plot! *tackles Ventus***

**NearKunn: Um…Tsuki-chan! I think we might need to wrap this up…*holding a piece of cardboard strategically in front of them***

**Tsuki: okay Lilly-chan! Oh Vani! *grabs Vani off of Ven and starts dragging him away* Review peeps! I don't want my husband to die! And neither do you, cuz then I'll be coming to collect your heads. Bye-bye!**

**NearKunn: And that's why I love Tsuki-chan~! *grabs Ven and follows Tsuki home***


	22. Never Blame the Author UPDATE!

**NearKunn: Miss me? :D Actually, I have no really good reason. All I can say is that it's been a giant mess between family issues, my moving out, loosing my job, getting it back and K-pop. Mostly K-pop though because being a part of that fandom is fucking time consuming. The more bands you like the more stuck in it you get, and when you make it your goal to learn names to faces when some bands have up to 15 members *cough Super Junior cough* it gets dangerous. Ah, but with my recent onslaught of free time I've started Kingdom Hearts 1 all over again because I no longer have the memory card for when I originally played and I've also been play Birth by Sleep again and it astounds me how good I am at that game. **

**Riku: Thanks! Now get back to work.**

**NearKunn: B-but I was…**

**Riku: It's been over 1 year. Get back to work. *glares darkly***

**NearKunn: *runs to computer***

"So what's wrong?" The voice made Ventus jump at first. He hadn't even heard the door open while he was allowing himself to wallow in his thoughts. Looking up at his older brother who somehow seemed to have the best timing in the world the younger sighed and sat up on his bed crossing his legs and getting ready to spill his guts. Who else was he supposed to confide in when he wasn't sure who he could trust, and it wasn't like Cloud wouldn't understand.

Cloud noticed that this might take awhile and took a seat on the edge of Ven's bed.

"It's just…okay there's this guy and he used to bully me all the time. And Namine told me to just ignore him, so I did for a long time but he never stopped. So instead I started kinda talking back but that only seemed to encourage him even more. And y'know everything was okay and all until he started going to my high school." He admitted.

"Are you being bullied?" Cloud demanded with a frown. "If you are I can kick their asses."

Ventus let out a laugh and shook his head. "It's not like that. I mean he was kinda mean at first, but we have the same friends and we ended up hanging out a lot and he's…I always thought he was being mean because he didn't like me, but in reality it was because he wanted my attention." 

"He likes you?"

The younger blonde nodded. "Actually he told me he loves me. And the night I got kicked out was because Vanitas' parents caught us kissing."

"They told Mom and Dad?" Cloud asked.

"Yea, but I…I couldn't tell him!" Ven answered eyes getting slightly teary now that he was voicing his thoughts out. "When I thought about it I didn't want Vanitas to think it was his fault that I got kicked out, or that Roxas is being sent to a different school. I wanted to protect him and I don't even know why because I don't love him back…I don't even like him! I…I've hated him for years and now…I don't know if it's because I can consider him a friend, or if he's somehow manipulated me with every single time he's told me he likes me or he loves me and I…"

"Well that's exactly it isn't it? Aren't you just stressed out because you don't know how you feel about him?" Cloud offered.

"Maybe." He answered messing with the bed sheets under his fingers. "But…I also feel bad because of Roxas. It's my fault he's getting sent away, I just-"

"It's a prep school, not a boarding school. Roxas will be fine. He's a smart kid." Cloud finished rubbing his back. "Is that it?"

"You're really not good at the comforting thing." Ven laughed.

"I'm trying." He defended with a frown before shoving Ven over and ruffling his hair.

-XxX-

"This is the uniform?" Axel asked lifting up the long sleeve white shirt, navy blue tie, and navy blue slacks.

"And this is the blazer." Roxas added holding up said offending object with the school's crest on the pocket.

"I like the girl's uniform better." He pouted. "Skirts were hotter." 

"Sadly, I'd have to agree. And no I'm not going to wear the girl's uniform." He added shooting down his friend's dream before it could fully process. Roxas sighed picking up his school bag and stuffing his class books that had been sent to him today inside so that it was all ready for Monday. "Y'know what sucks?"

"You're not able to make Sora realize how blatantly obviously you're in love with him before you have to leave?" Axel asked still flipping through the prep school's brochure.

"That too. But I'm talking about how it's halfway through the school year and I'm transferring. Do you realize how much attention falls on transfer students? I don't want that. Plus I'm only a first year. That makes it so much worse! And the school system is even different! Like I don't have different classes, I have the same class all day everyday in the same room! The only thing that changes is the teachers and the subjects. Did you know they make you take P.E. all three years?"

"Seriously? We only have to take one year of P.E." Axel replied finally looking at his friend. "Then again that's probably for the best considering who our teacher is." 

They both shuddered.

"Look at the bright side." Axel offered.

"What bright side?" Roxas asked. "Going to a prep school with no friends? Sounds like fun where do I sign up?"

"No more Xigbar." The redhead added.

He thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Okay that definitely makes me feel better."

"And hey, so what if you don't make any friends there. You don't need friends to study. You still got us. And we can hang out anytime."

"You okay? I'm not used to you being nice without it ending with you trying to get in my pants?"

"Maybe I'm being nice so you'll let me in your pants?"

"That's what I thought."

-XxX-

Vanitas fiddled with his phone staring blankly at the wall across from him. Yesterday's scene replayed itself in his mind and all he could think about was seeing Ventus cry. Once again because of him. Obviously something had happened for their parents to just suddenly decide to send Roxas off to another school, and to leave Ven? It was almost like they were trying to separate the brothers. He wasn't stupid. He'd overheard Roxas and Sora talking about this before. Roxas and Ventus' parents were very conservative types and their older brother had already been kicked out for being gay. So then…the only thing he could think of was that they found out about Ven and him…

Although it wasn't like there was anything going on. Ventus already turned him down. Hadn't he?

"Hey, you're gunna be late for school if you don't get up now." Sora commented coming into the room to grab his school bag.

"Not going." Vanitas replied flipping over to look at the ceiling of their shared bedroom.

"Seriously? You're not sick are you? I've like, never seen you sick before." Sora commented walking over to check on his older cousin who pulled the blanket up to cover most of his face, only leaving enough for him to glare over the covers.

"No, I just don't wanna go." He answered.

"Did something happen?" The younger added glaring back bravely. "C'mon man, I know you wouldn't willingly miss out on teasing Ven."

"Tease him for me." The black haired male shot back sitting up and causing Sora to back off to avoid getting head butted. "I've got shit to do today. Besides, I don't need to see him everyday. It's not like I can't live without him." 

Sora whistled. "So something did happen."

"Piss off." He answered standing up and shoving the younger down on the bed. "I'm not coming to school today." He added heading towards the bathroom.

"Dude, don't forget about Roxas' going away party tonight!" He called after him.

Vanitas shut and locked the bathroom door closing his eyes he leaned back against the frame.

"_What the fuck is so wrong with it anyway?! You have no right to call someone disgusting! Especially your own son! If you do something like that then you're no better then those bastard parents who leave their kids to fend for themselves!"_

"Ven…"

-XxX-

"Hey. Vanitas not here today?" Demyx commented taking the seat that the black haired male usually took next to Ventus.

"I guess." Ven answered. "He didn't show up to History class either."

"Looking for him?" Riku asked raising an eyebrow.

"N-no…not really. It's just hard to not notice he's gone when he'd always around bothering me." He answered.

"Sure. I thought you guys were together now?" Demyx asked. "I mean, you hang out a lot and everyone saw you guys kiss yesterday. Like it's all over the school."

"I got a picture." Riku added.

Ventus groaned. Great, now the whole school thinks there is something going on between them. Was there? Wasn't it pretty obvious that Ventus liked him more then he'd care to admit?

-XxX-

Vanitas stood up as he noticed the car pulling up to the driveway. He waited patiently for the man to come up to the porch where he'd been waiting. He'd been here for about thirty minutes now and the person he was waiting for was finally here. The man saw him and looked a bit warily ready to call the cops in necessary. Vanitas hadn't planned on letting it get that far. He sighed and allowed the man to approach before bowing politely. "I would like to speak to you for a moment Sir."

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

"Why are you sending Roxas away?"

The man turned a pointed glare at him. "Who are you?"

"Vanitas." 

"Sora's cousin?"

"Yes."

"You should leave before I have the police remove you from my property."

"I won't sir. Not until you tell me what you've done to Ventus."

The man scoffed at him and it took all over Vanitas willpower to not drop his manners and out right glare. "It isn't any of your business what I do with my children. And if Ventus is going to chose to waste his life on you, then he is no child of mine."

Vanitas clenched a fist biting his lip to keep from saying anything that would get him in trouble.

"Ventus no longer lives here. And if you want what's best for him, stay away from him. Now get off my property or you'll be removed forcefully."

"You kicked him out. Your own son." Vanitas ground out.

"He is not my son. My children are not gay little sluts who give themselves out to dropouts like you."

"Bullshit! Cloud's gay! Roxas is gay!"

"Cloud is as much my son as Ventus! As for Roxas, he's confused. How could he not be when his brothers make the choice to send themselves to hell! Get out now!"

Vanitas mentally held himself back from punching the man in the face. "Ventus didn't choose me. We're not together. We never will be." He stated it loud and clear before turning around and walking away. Any longer and he may have actually punched Ven's father. He got into his car which he'd parked just across the street and sped off. Driving angrily in the direction he hated the most. The place he hated the most.

God, did he hate this. This suffocating place. This place that was nothing like where he was used to now. He was so used to Aerith and Sora's warmth. This place…he couldn't stand this place.

"Vanitas! Come inside! I have something to show you!" His mother exclaimed cheerily.

He sighed turning off his car and getting out to head into the small building.

"Vani, we're very sorry about the other night. We were just kind of surprised that you were…gay." She smiled her fake smile.

He understood it. He knew that his mother was sick. She didn't have emotions. She used people to get what she wanted out of them; she held no remorse for what she's done. And she was again using Vanitas. If she treated him kindly, if she accepted him as her son, then she wouldn't have to have as much responsibility. As soon as she gave birth to the child inside of her, she could use Vanitas so she wouldn't have to take care of them. He already knew what she wanted. It was why they'd come back.

But he wasn't going to be like them. He wasn't going to be fake. He wasn't going to use or neglect people. This child didn't need that.

"We don't know what genders yet, but meet your new siblings!" She exclaimed holding up a sonogram that had been lying on the dinning table for him to look at. "They're twins, Vanitas! Aren't they cute?!"

"They look…unreal." He commented staring extra hard at the photo. Would he be able to take care of them? He was having doubts now that he was looking at them, but there was no way he was going to let them be treated the way he was treated. It didn't matter how hard it was, or how much people would look down at him. He would take care of them. He was going to protect them so that they wouldn't end up like him. "I can't wait."

"Vanitas, we want you to move back in with us. Next month, we're moving to Radiant Gardens. And we think, it would be great if we had the whole family together. Your Father, me, you and the babies. You'd like that wouldn't you?"

Vanitas stared at the picture a little longer before facing his Mother. "Yea. I'd like that."

-XxX-

**NearKunn: Oh snap. I got teary eyed writing this chapter. OMG!**

**Sora: What happened to you don't cry easily?**

**NearKunn: You fucking dare try watching K-dramas and not end up an emotional wreck! I got teary eyed once or twice during Boys over Flowers and that wasn't even that bad. I don't even want to talk about how hard I bawled when I watched Iris!**

**Vanitas: We've lost her.**

**Ventus: Can't we just leave her?**

**Sora: Well I didn't miss her. She can go back to her dramas for all I care.**

**NearKunn: *Tackles Sora ties him up and tossed him in a closet* That was for all the stress you caused me when I replayed KH.**

**Vanitas: *applause***

**NearKunn: I feel kinda (okay I feel a lot bad) about taking so long. So I'm going to do a little chapter preview!**

**Roxas: This should end well…**

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW START!

"You're moving?" Ventus asked looking at him with a look in his eyes that hurt Vanitas more then anything else he thinks he's ever seen

"Roxas wasn't supposed to tell you." Vanitas commented stuffing the last of his clothes in his duffle bag he made a point to try not to look at the younger.

"You should have. You said you loved me, but you're leaving without even telling me goodbye?"

Vanitas swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I love you."

The words made him freeze for a long moment before he turned around to look at Ventus. Had he really just said that.

"I know I'm late, but I mean it. I love you. So the least you can do is give me a proper goodbye." There were tears in the blonde's eyes and he was pretty sure at this point there were tears of his own threatening to overflow.

"I'm really bad at that." Vanitas answered. "I couldn't say it to you, and I had no idea how I could. You're too important to me for just a simple, word."

"Then don't say it." Ventus answered walking over to him. "There are other ways to say it without using words."

"Are you okay with that?"

"Would I be here, if I wasn't?" Ventus asked shutting the door behind him and locking it.

Vanitas chuckled forcing back his tears, now was definitely not the time to cry. He smiled surprised by how genuine it felt, his actions spurred on by the others words. "Say it again."

"I love you."

-XxX-

**Ventus: Oh for the love of Pete!**

**Vanitas: Hell fucking yes.**

**Sora: Dude…just don't do it on my bed…**

**Riku: Chapter is coming soon. Hopefully.**

**NearKunn: I will be giving myself a deadline, because I plan on finishing this story on 12/21. So here goes nothing!**

**Demyx: Hey wait…what happened to Tsuki?**

**NearKunn: Oh! I forgot! I'll go get her!**

**Sora: DEMYX YOU LITTLE FU-**

**Tsuki: HI! *flying glomps a wild Axel* Miss me~~?**

**Axel: …..yup.**

**Vanitas: What was the long pause for?**

**NearKunn: ANYWAY! Tsuki and I are living together now, so she can easily be included in our conversations.**

**Tsuki: Yup, yup~! Ah~, I missed these. X3 Which reminds me….. *disappears then reappears behind Riku, grabbing him in a choke hold* Definitely missed these! *cackles* Now go review duckies! Nearkunn's reactions are even more hilarious when her emotions have already been messed up by K-Dramas. XD**

**NearKunn: :O**

**Vanitas: AND DON'T YOU FUCKING FORGET TO TAG ON HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME!**

**Ventus: Just give it up already…**

**Sora: See you next chapter!**


	23. First & Last

Chapter 22

First and Last

"Hey." Vanitas smiled taking his seat next to Ventus halfway through their art class.

"Where have you been?" Ven whispered to the male next to him.

"Miss me?" He smirked.

"No."

"Aw c'mon~!" He smiled. "Actually, I wanted to know if you wanted to go on a date with me today."

"Huh? A date?" Ven asked blushing a bit. Why didn't he just say no?

"Yea, I've always wanted to go on a date with you."

"Vanitas! When class is in session it is considered common decency to be quiet. Especially since you're over 20 minutes late to class." Marluxia asked eyebrow twitching. "Be that as it may, why don't you stand up and share with the class what you were just talking to Ventus about."

Unashamedly Vanitas stood up and turned to face the class. Ventus sunk down further in his seat hoping to whatever deity actually existed that he could just disappear now. "I came in, sat down, Ven asked why I was late and I was explaining to him that I thought his ass looked really good in those jeans so I went to the bathroom to mas-"

"VANITAS! DETENTION!" Marluxia interrupted. "You too Strife, now SIT DOWN!"

"Me?" Ventus asked incredulously. "What did I do?"

"You were talking in class too, now everyone SHUT UP!"

-XxX-

"You're dating Vanitas?" Terra asked sitting across from the blonde at lunch.

"That's what everyone is saying." Ven answered picking at his lunch.

"Word is that you two made out. There are pictures." He added.

The blonde frowned. "So, Riku let those get out huh?"

"He sent them to Kairi and she sent them to every single person in her phone book."

"Why do you have Kairi's number?"

"Aqua has taken her under her wing."

"Seriously-"

"So~!" Vanitas began setting his tray right next to Ven's and taking a seat beside the blonde. "Since we're apparently going out, we can make out now right."

"Vanitas, you got me a detention today. You're lucky if I ever look at you."

The dark haired male next to him pouted for a moment before a big grin spread across his face. "You didn't deny we were going out."

"Van…"

"Isn't today Roxy's first day at the prep school." Axel asked taking a seat at the table with them followed by Sora and Riku. Terra and Ven both looking a bit taken aback that they were suddenly sitting here.

"Well it's Monday, so yes." Riku answered looking at the older male like he was a moron, only to have his chair kicked harshly.

"Don't worry, he's keeping me posted." Sora added pulling out his phone. "8:12am Stupid Class. 9:00am Sor, I just fell asleep in class for the first time. 10:30am These classes are easy, but everyone is behaved and quiet. It's so boring~!" That's it so far."

"That poor baby." Axel cooed. "I should sext him, that would cheer him up."

"Ew!" Ventus exclaimed.

"Dude, if anyone is sexting Roxy its gunna be me." Sora announced.

Vanitas fake gaged over his lunch.

"No one is sexting my brother." Ventus frowned.

"Yes, you don't know where he's been." Vanitas agreed. "Or who else he's been with."

"I know." Sora answered. "Let's see, Axel, more than once, that one time with Zexion, that one time with Zexion and Demyx, Riku, that one kid at camp no one remembers the name of. Say no to drugs kids."

"Sora, stop. I'm begging you. I really didn't need to know that my younger brother has done _that_, more times then I have."

"We can fix that." Vanitas suggested arm snaking around the blonde's waist only to be slapped away.

"New update. "11:02am tell Axel to stop trying to sext me, it will not happen." Sora read aloud, all eyes then landed on the redhead who tried to look as innocent as possible.

"You're gross."

-XxX-

A slap to the back, laughter, and a stupid voice in his ear. "A gift from the welcoming committee. Welcome to school you little shit." Roxas took a deep breath. Count to 5, and don't act like the public school child he knew he was. He let Seifer walk away. He'd had a couple of classes with that asshole already, and that's just what he was. An Asshole, who liked picking on people way too much. Roxas ignored his lunch in favor of pulling off the sign that was slapped to his back. "Fag." He read aloud to himself. "Seriously?" He idly wondered how many people had already seen the sign before he took it down.

"It's no use." A voice sighed as he took a seat beside Roxas. "By last period everyone will know. He writes it on your locker too."

"I got one on the first day of school too. Though the bastard should know better. I live across the hall from him. Except mine said 'Freak'." The male who sat across from him stated. "The name's Hayner by the way, that's Pence and Olette." He added gesturing to his two friends. "We all got one."

"Mine said Fatty." Pence explained. "I'm not fat…I just a little wide. It's genetic."

"And I'm Nerd." Olette began smiling at him. "Just cause I choose to study instead of beat on people with struggle bats. Oh well."

"So basically we're labeled for life now?" Roxas asked.

"Yea pretty much." Hayner answered. "Anyway, welcome to the club."

"Thanks." He answered only partially sarcastic. He was actually glad they'd came up to him they seemed like nice people.

"Anytime, that's what we're here for!" Hayner answered with a bright smile. "So, the rumor is you're a gay slut who got kicked out of public school for drugs. Hence the sign."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Well they got gay right."

"Seriously? I always wanted a gay best friend!" Olette commented. "You'll go shopping with me won't you?! Oh my god, you're the best thing that ever happened to this school."

Roxas couldn't help himself, he laughed. In spite of the day he'd had so day, things didn't seem so bad anymore. Maybe he could get by here after all."

-XxX-

Detention had been uneventful. They were forced to sit there quietly, not even allowed to read or do their homework, so it left Ven staring at the wall trying not to fall asleep and Vanitas engaged in a staring contest with Marluxia. After about ten minutes their teacher got frustrated and told them to go home. Complying both boys fled the classroom and wandering off campus.

"God, that was boring…" Ventus commented.

"Yea…" Vanitas agreed, he soon reached out and took the younger's hand in his. He was partially surprised when Ven didn't pull away, but he wasn't going to complain. "So about that date."

"You were serious?"

"Of course I was." He smiled. "It's just a date. Anyway, I have a plan."

"Oh really? What kind of plan?"

"Just follow me." He smiled pulling the blonde along with him.

-XxX-

"An inflatable tent?" Ventus asked looking around. "Isn't this the college?"

"I've got a friend who works here. He helped set this up for me." Vanitas answered gesturing towards a small opening that you had to climb through to get to the inside. It was a short tunnel, but a tunnel none the less. Sighing Ventus climbed through the black haired male following closely behind. The blonde had to give him props though for not grabbing his ass. "Yo, Leon. Thanks for the help man." Vanitas said to the man who was setting up a laptop inside.

"No problem." He answered. "Just press play when you're ready. You've got about an hour before someone will come to close it down."

Vanitas nodded as the older man left. "He's a friend, last year, I traded some nice blackmail materials for a picture of someone has a major crush on."

"Right." Ventus nodded, not sure what else to say about that. "Why are we here?"

"Lay down."

"Van-"

"Just trust me okay?" The raven smiled such an innocent smile Ventus couldn't help but to listen. He laid back on the ground under the tent floor. It was under no circumstance comfortable, but it wasn't bad enough to warrant complaint. He heard Vanitas shifting around a little bit before the lantern cut out and the place was bathed in only what light came from the computer. "Are you ready? Keep your eyes on the ceiling."

Ventus did as he was told and trained his eyes straight up. A moment later soft piano music began to play and the ceiling lit up with stars. They slowly turned and constellations shone. "When we were in fourth grade we were supposed to write a paper about what we wanted to be when we grew up? I wrote street racer and got in trouble because that was illegal. Remember?"

Ventus laughed all of a sudden. He did remember that. They were forced to read their papers out loud in front of a camera as some sort of time capsule thing. Vanitas' report left the whole class snickering and their teacher more than a little furious. They were going to make him write another report until he told them the other option was to be the next Batman. After that they just graded his original paper with a D.

"Do you remember what your report was on?" Vanitas asked. "In your paper you said that you'd gotten a telescope from your brother for Christmas. You loved using it, so you said you wanted to be an astrologist. The next year, we did Secret Santa. You never did find out who pulled your name did you?"

Ventus thought about it. He remembered that. That Christmas for Secret Santa, he'd gotten a couple books on Astrology. He guessed wrong about who he'd gotten them from and never did find out who it was, but when he got home he read them almost right away. He loved those books, and learned a lot from them. "So it was you huh?"

Vanitas pulled the thank you card addressed to no one. Since Ven still hadn't known who he got it from, he didn't address it to anyone and left it on the bulletin board for his Santa. "Dear Anonymous, thank you for the gift, I love them! I'm sorry I couldn't guess who it was, it really surprised me. Let's be good friends okay!" Vanitas read aloud. "Receiving this was probably the happiest day of my life."

"That sucks, if my generic card is the best thing that ever happened to you." Ven commented.

Vanitas crawled over and laid down beside Ventus on the ground. "Yea well, you were definitely the highlight of my life. Y'know when my Uncle died, that was the first time I had ever felt such great loss. I wasn't sure if I would ever go back to feeling normal. But then I thought of you. Of when you would get sad, and how you would recover. It kept me sane and I was able to fix what broke within me that time. After eighth grade I asked to stay in private, even while knowing you were going to public. I thought I would give up on you after all, and I just couldn't do it. I never forgot you, I ended up drawing you every day freshman year. So when Sora said he was going to the same school as Roxas, I transferred as well. Just to be with you."

"You're stupid." Ventus commented scooting closer to the older man. And to lean his head onto his shoulder. "If you had acted like this back then, I think we may have ended up dating a lot sooner." He admitted.

Vanitas looked mildly surprised at the confession, but settled back and let the words wash over him. He was happy.

-XxX-

"Behave." Ventus warned before opening the door to Zack and Cloud's apartment and letting Vanitas in. "I'm back!"

"Sup." Zack greeted from where he was cooking dinner. "Who's the tagalong?"

"This is Vanitas." Ven answered. "My…boyfriend?"

Vanitas smirked wildly, the spoon in Zack's hand clattered to the floor and Cloud looked mildly amused.

"He's staying for dinner, we'll be in my room." Ventus finished getting embarrassed. He grabbed Vanitas' arm and dragged him away leaving the older male barely anytime to greet them. He managed to do it between fits of laughter before the door to Ven's room shut.

-XxX-

"What the fuck happened in here?" Sora asked looking around his shared room with Vanitas. The older male who usually kept all of his stuff neat and orderly, or locked up to avoid people who wanted to take away his blackmail (namely Sora) had all of his stuff strewn about.

"Evening~!" Vanitas answered with a smile from his bed where he was stuffing some of his clothes into an old suitcase no one used anymore. "So I had the most amazing date. Do you know what Ven introduced me to his older brother as? His 'boyfriend'. His words not mine." He smirked.

"Why are you packing?" Sora asked.

Van looked up at his younger cousin and sighed. "Because I'm leaving dimwit."

"I got that asshole, where are you going?"

"Radiant Garden. We're leaving Friday, so I need to get all my stuff together." He answered. "I know you're gunna tell Roxas, so just, tell him not to say anything to Ven okay?"

"Are you serious? You're just moving out? Just like that? No warning?" Sora asked anger flashing across his face.

"Sor-"

"Fuck you, Van. I don't care what reasons you have behind this, but maybe you should stop to think about the people you're leaving behind." Sora was eerily calm, but his anger was evident. The brunette turned and exited the room slamming the door behind him.

Vanitas was his cousin. His brother. And he could be such a stupid asshole sometimes.

'_Roxas I'm coming over.'_

**NearKunn: Hey look my penname changed.**

**Riku: Sadly her personality didn't.**

**Sora: Including the ever long delayed updates.**

**Axel: Where's the smut?**

**Roxas: Is the smut all you care about? **

**NearKunn: Sorry, I just got to typing and before I knew it, I had already written 6 pages. Typically I like to keep my chapters averaged on the same length, so I had to cut this in half. I'm actually very inspired right now. It may be partly because Tsuki-chan went to Colorado on me and I want to make her feel bad for missing out on the blurbs. And leaving her husband behind. XP**

**Ventus: Um…sorry to interrupt, but Vanitas hasn't moved in like a week.**

**Sora: Did he seriously die from lack of compliments?  
Axel: I think he did…**

**NearKunn: OMG VENNY QUICK DO CPR!**

**Ventus: WHY ME?!**

**NearKunn: HE LIKES YOU THE MOST!**

**Roxas: And to be honest, no one else wants to.**

**Ventus: Ugh! Fine! *Ventus bends down***

**Vanitas: *grabs him*  
*censored***

**NearKunn: Opps…anyway… *pulls screen in front of them***

**Sora: Well the moral of this story folks, is don't perform CPR on perverts.**

**Riku: And never believe NearKunn-sensei when she says she's going to update on a certain date. She's full of shit.**

**NearKunn: *nods sadly***

**Demyx: Guys~! We're like, 11 reviews away from breaking 400! Please help this happen. You do not understand, how funny it is for us. I think she's gunna make a celebratory cake for the event. SO REVIEW EVERYONE! I WANT CAKE!**

**NearKunn: Bye everyone~! See you next time! Whenever-that-might-be….**

**Riku: Soon, if you want to continue living.**

**NearKunn: :O**


End file.
